Treatment
Possible treatments include:
- In stable cases, use of laxatives and bulking agents, as well as modifications in diet and stool habits are effective.
- Corticosteroids and other anti-inflammatory medication is used in toxic megacolon.
- Antibiotics are used for bacterial infections such as Vancomycin for Clostridium Difficile
- Disimpaction of feces and decompression using anorectal and nasogastric tubes.
- When megacolon worsens and the conservative measures fail to restore transit, surgery may be necessary.
There are several surgical approaches to treat megacolon, such as a colectomy (removal of the entire colon) with ileorectal anastomosis (ligation of the remaining ileus and rectum segments), or a total proctocolectomy (removal of colon, sigmoid and rectum) followed by ileostomy or followed by ileoanal anastomosis.
Read more about this topic: Megacolon
Famous quotes containing the word treatment:
“I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but never with a view to injury and wrongdoing. Neither will I administer a poison to anybody when asked to do so, nor will I suggest such a course. Similarly, I will not give to a woman a pessary to cause abortion. I will keep pure and holy both my life and my art.”
—Hippocrates (c. 460–c. 370 B.C.)
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—William Burroughs (b. 1914)