A Case of Hydrogen Peroxide Induced Colitis / 대한소화기내시경학회지

ABSTRACT

Hydrogen peroxide has been used for various medical purposes and also recommended in the disinfection process for endoscopes. However, hydrogen peroxide as a cause of chemical colitis or disinfectant colitis has been infrequently reported. The endoscopic findings of hydrogen peroxide induced colitis revealed pseudomembranous-like enteritis such as white plaques, erythema, foamy liquid, patchy, granularity, and ulcerations, resulting from effervescence caused by the release of oxygen from the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide. A 36 year-old single male, who had 30 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide inserted into his anus the day before due to sexual reasons, was hospitalized as a result of suffering from hematochezia, tenesmus, and lower abdominal pain. Colonoscopy revealed discrete or confluent white plaques adherent to the colonic mucosa, severe erythema on the surrounding mucosa, patchy granularity, and scattered ulcerations up to 28 cm from the anal verge. Pathologic finding revealed inflammatory cells infiltration, variable sized vacuoles, vascular congestion, hemorrhage, fibrin deposition and ulcerations with regenerating epithelium in the lamina propria, consistent with acute mucosal injury caused by hydrogen peroxide. A case of hydrogen peroxide induced colitis is herein reported.