A case of phlebosclerotic colitis with involvement of the entire colon.

Phlebosclerotic colitis is a rare type of ischemic colitis caused by obstruction of the veins in the intestinal wall and adjacent mesentery, and is most commonly seen in the ascending colon. We report a 56-year-old woman presenting with intermittent abdominal pain and diarrhea for three years. She had a liver abscess and two episodes of pancreatitis during this time and experienced progressive body weight loss. Initial radiologic findings showed multiple tortuous threadlike calcifications in the region of the right side of the colon and transverse colon on plain abdominal radiographs and computed tomography images. A colonoscopy demonstrated brownish-black pigmentation on the right side of the colon with scattered hyperemic patches. The more distal along the colon, the more normal the color of the bowel appeared. Follow-up studies revealed calcifications not only alongside the colonic and mesenteric veins, but also extending into the superior and inferior mesenteric veins. These findings have not been reported previously. As noted in our patient, this disease entity may not be confined to the tributaries of the superior mesenteric vein. The entire colon may be involved in advanced disease. (Chang Gung Med J 2010;33:581-5)