Toxic megacolon natural history, complications and prognosis

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:

Overview

If left untreated, [#]% of patients with [disease name] may progress to develop [manifestation 1], [manifestation 2], and [manifestation 3].

OR

Common complications of [disease name] include [complication 1], [complication 2], and [complication 3].

OR

Prognosis is generally excellent/good/poor, and the 1/5/10-year mortality/survival rate of patients with [disease name] is approximately [#]%.

The symptoms of (disease name) usually develop in the first/ second/ third decade of life, and start with symptoms such as ___.
The symptoms of (disease name) typically develop ___ years after exposure to ___.
If left untreated, [#]% of patients with [disease name] may progress to develop [manifestation 1], [manifestation 2], and [manifestation 3].

Common complications of toxic megacolon include:^[1]^[2]
- Perforation or opening in the wall of the colon
- Bleeding
- Shock
- Sepsis

Depending on the presence of the perforation at the time of diagnosis, the prognosis may vary. However, the prognosis is generally regarded as excellent without perforation.^[3]^[4]^[5]

↑ Autenrieth DM, Baumgart DC (2012). "Toxic megacolon". Inflamm. Bowel Dis. 18 (3): 584–91. doi:10.1002/ibd.21847. PMID 22009735.
↑ Sayedy, Leena (2010). "Toxic megacolon associatedClostridium difficilecolitis". World Journal of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. 2 (8): 293. doi:10.4253/wjge.v2.i8.293. ISSN 1948-5190.
↑ Grant CS, Dozois RR (1984). "Toxic megacolon: ultimate fate of patients after successful medical management". Am. J. Surg. 147 (1): 106–10. PMID 6691535.
↑ Trudel JL, Deschênes M, Mayrand S, Barkun AN (1995). "Toxic megacolon complicating pseudomembranous enterocolitis". Dis. Colon Rectum. 38 (10): 1033–8. PMID 7555415.
↑ Gan, S. Ian; Beck, P. L. (2003). "A new look at toxic megacolon: an update and review of incidence, etiology, pathogenesis, and management". The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 98 (11): 2363–2371. doi:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2003.07696.x. ISSN 0002-9270.