Toxic megacolon occurs as a complication of inflammatory bowel disease, such as. and, and infections of the colon. The term toxic means that this complication occurs with infection or inflammation, and is very dangerous.1 ulcerative colitis.2 Crohn's disease. Toxic megacolon occurs as a complication of inflammatory bowel disease, such as. and, and infections of the colon. The term toxic means that this complication occurs with infection or inflammation, and is very dangerous.
Causes. Toxic megacolon occurs as a complication of inflammatory bowel disease, such as. and, and infections of the colon. The term toxic means that this complication occurs with infection or inflammation, and is very dangerous. 1  ulcerative colitis. 2  Crohn's disease Toxic megacolon is the clinical term for an acute toxic colitis with dilatation of the colon. The dilatation can be either total or segmental. Educating the patient about toxic megacolon (toxic colitis), or TM (TC), is crucial. First, educate the patient about the causes of the disease. The most common cause of TM (TC) is inflammatory bowel disease. A toxic megacolon is rare, but life-threatening. It is a complication of severe colon disease or infection. Toxic megacolon can be deadly because it puts you at risk for infection throughout the body, shock, and dehydration. Toxic megacolon is a life-threatening condition that needs immediate treatment. Toxic megacolon (megacolon toxicum) is an acute form of colonic distension. Toxic megacolon in a patient with ulcerative colitis: The patient subsequently underwent a colectomy. The objective of treatment is to decompress the bowel and to prevent swallowed air from further distending the bowel. Toxic megacolon is mainly seen in ulcerative colitis and pseudomembranous colitis, two chronic inflammations of the colon (and occasionally, in the other type of inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease). Its mechanism is incompletely understood.  Back to Top Causes. Toxic megacolon occurs as a complication of inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, and infections of the colon. The term toxic means that this complication occurs with infection or inflammation and is very dangerous. This is not the same as other forms of megacolon, such as pseudo-obstruction, acute colonic ileus, or congenital colonic dilation. These conditions occur without infection or inflammation. Causes of Toxic megacolon listed in Disease Database: Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible causes of Toxic megacolon as a symptom include: 1  Campylobacter jejuni. 2  Colorectal cancer. 3  Reiter's syndrome. 4  Salmonella. 5  Typhoid fever. 6  Ulcerative colitis.  Toxic megacolon is a serious condition characterized by swelling and dilation of the large intestine due to inflammation of the intestinal wall and accumulation of excessive amounts of gas. It primarily occurs in association with a severe attack of inflammatory bowel disease—either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. Symptoms of Toxic Megacolon. 1  Acute illness most often preceded by increased intensity of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease symptoms, which include abdominal pain, diarrhea possibly leading to dehydration and blood in the stool. 2  Abdominal distension, pain and tenderness. 3  High fever. The root causes of toxic megacolon are inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Inflammatory bowel diseases cause swelling and irritation in parts of your digestive tract. These diseases can be painful and can cause permanent damage to your large and small intestines. Examples of IBDs include ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Toxic megacolon occurs when inflammatory bowel diseases cause the colon to expand, dilate, and distend. When this happens, the colon is unable to remove gas or feces from the body. If gas and feces build up in the colon, your large intestine may rupture (break open) The large intestine completes the digestion process by absorbing water and passing waste through to the anus. Certain conditions can cause the large intestines to malfunction. One such condition is toxic megacolon or megarectum. “Megacolon” is a general term that is used to mean the dilation of the colon. “Toxic megacolon” is a term meant to express the seriousness of the condition. Toxic megacolon is a rare, life-threatening widening of the large intestine that occurs within a few days. These diseases can be painful and can cause permanent damage to your large and small intestines. Examples of IBDs include ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Toxic megacolon occurs when inflammatory bowel diseases cause the colon to expand, dilate, and distend.
http://umm.edu/health/medical/ency/articles/toxic-megacolon http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/181054-overview http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/digestive_disorders/toxic_megacolon_134,180/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxic_megacolon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megacolon http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/toxic-megacolon/overview.html http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/symptoms/toxic_megacolon/causes.htm http://www.healthcommunities.com/inflammatory-bowel-disease-ibd/what-is-toxic-megacolon.shtml http://www.healthline.com/health/toxic-megacolon http://www.healthline.com/health/toxic-megacolon
what causes toxic megacolon