ABSTRACT
Objective To summarize the diagnosis and surgical treatment for intractable constipation caused by adult dolichocolon.Methods Clinical data of 82 adult dolichocolon cases suffering from intractable constipation were analyzed retrospectively.Results Of the 82 patients,intractable constipation were found in 66 patients(80%),abdominalgia,abdominal distension in 28 patients(34%) and constipation alternatively with diarrhea in 16 patients(19%).Diagnosis was established in 74 patients by barium enema while 8 during the emergency operation.Dolichocolon was divided into 3 types as type Ⅰ in 35 cases,type Ⅱ in 19 and type Ⅲ in 28,in which there were 18 cases of total dolichocolon syndrome. Surgery performed including sigmoidectomy(32 patients),right hemicolectomy(3 patients),right hemicolon and transvers colon resection(4 patients),left side of transvers colon and splenic flexure colon resection(4 patients),descending colon and sigmoid colon resection(15 patients),transvers,descending and sigmoid colon resection(6 patients),pancolectomy with anastomosis of terminal ileum and upper rectum (18 patients).There were no severe postoperative complications such as anastomotic leakage and the recovery was uneventful in all 82 patients.The curative effect was graded as well and up in all 72 cases followed up from 3 months to 4 years,with a follow-up rate of 88%(72/82).Conclusion A history of intractable constipation and barium enema are the mainstay for the diagnosis of dolichocolon,and operation is the effective treatment for intractable constipation caused by adult dolichocolon.