Ischemic colitis is a relatively uncommon complication following abdominal aortic aneurism repair. However, patients with this disease have higher rates of mortality when compared to ischemic colitis alone. The objective of our study is to investigate the incidence and risk factors associated with the occurrence of ischemic colitis following abdominal aortic aneurism repair. We studied eleven patients treated by surgery for aortic aneurism at Hospital São Lucas da PUCRS (HSL-PUCRS). The patients were evaluated for other clinical conditions and were submitted to flexible reto-sigmoidoscopy at the seventh day after surgery. Incidence of ischemic colitis was 36% and it was associated with chronic obstructive pulmonar disease and the presence of blood flow through the inferior mesenteric artery before surgery. Among the patients with colitis, 25% presented the gangrenous form of the disease. Mortality was 25%, and 75% of the patients have only endoscopic manifestations. In conclusion, incidence of ischemic colitis in our study was higher than observed in the literature and it was associated with chronic obstructive pulmonar disease and the presence of blood flow through the inferior mesenteric artery before the surgical treatment for the aneurism.
colorectal ischemia; aortic aneurism; surgical treatment
