Video Tip: Diagnosing Diversion Colitis | December 2022-Diagnosing Diversion Colitis

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This video tip, sponsored by an educational grant from Braintree, explains the changes observed in the distal colon of a 70-year-old man who had undergone surgery for cancer six months ago. The video shows the colonoscopy conducted as part of the pre-operative takedown of the colostomy. The changes seen extend from the rectum to the closure of the Hartman pouch, indicating diversion colitis rather than radiation colitis or ulcerative colitis. These early changes can worsen over time, leading to friability, fissuring, and narrowing of the bowel. However, these changes are reversible upon resuming the fecal stream through the bowel after the colostomy is taken down.

Keywords

distal colon

diversion colitis

colostomy

radiation colitis

ulcerative colitis