Management of Colonic Emergencies

Surg Clin North Am. 2023 Dec;103(6):1133-1152. doi: 10.1016/j.suc.2023.06.006. Epub 2023 Jul 28.

Abstract

The etiology of colonic emergencies includes a wide-ranging and diverse set of pathologic conditions. Fortunately, for the surgeon treating a patient with one of these emergencies, the surgical management of these various causes is limited to choosing among proximal diversion, segmental colectomy with or without proximal diversion, or a total abdominal colectomy with end ileostomy (or rarely, an ileorectal anastomosis). The nuanced complexity in these situations usually revolves around the nonsurgical and/or endoscopic options and deciding when to proceed to the operating room.

Keywords: Abscess; Diverticulitis; Fistula; Hemorrhage; Inflammatory bowel disease; Malignancy; Obstruction; Perforation.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anastomosis, Surgical
  • Colectomy
  • Colon* / surgery
  • Emergencies*
  • Humans
  • Ileostomy