Inferior mesenteric venous thrombosis that required operations: report of two cases.

Inferior mesenteric venous thrombosis (IMVT) is a very rare disease of colon ischemia. We experienced two cases of IMVT that required operations. The first patient was a 74-year-old male, who was admitted to our hospital because of melena and diarrhea. He was diagnosed with IMVT by angiography. As no improvement was seen after the conservative therapy for a month, left colectomy and transverse colostomy were performed. There was a small ulcer in the resected colon mucosa. The findings of histopathological examination revealed that mild and repeated ischemia of the colon had been caused. The second patient was a 70-year-old male, who was admitted to our hospital with the chief complaint of constipation, lower abdominal pain and nausea. He was diagnosed as IMVT by angiography. As no improvement was seen after the conservative therapy for a month, an operation was performed. The operative findings confirmed severe swelling of mesenteric fatty tissue and vascular ectasia of mesocolon. Left colectomy and transverse colostomy were performed. Histopathological examination of surgical specimens disclosed the multiple thrombi and almost complete occlusion of the inferior mesenteric vein, the invasion of lipid-filled macrophages as mesenteric panniculitis, and ischemic change in the sigmoid colon mucosa.

[Case of ulcerative colitis refractory to intravenous cyclosporine therapy successfully treated with infliximab].

A 26-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with relapse of ulcerative colitis (UC). We diagnosed it as a refractory UC because intravenous corticosteroid therapy had no effect. Intravenous cyclosporine therapy and other conventional therapies did not lead to remission. Then the possibility of infliximab was discussed with the patient and her parents and treatment with infliximab was started. Infliximab was infused intravenously at a dose of 5mg per kilograms of body weight. Immediately after the first infusion, clinical symptoms improved, and clinical remission was achieved within 12 weeks. It is suggested that infliximab can be effective for refractory UC.

Transverse colonic varices successfully treated with endoscopic procedure.

A 75-year-old woman with hepatitis C virus antibody-positive liver cirrhosis was admitted to our hospital with anal bleeding. Colonoscopy revealed red color-positive tortuous transverse colonic varices near the splenic flexure. Colonic varices were considered to be the most probable cause of bleeding, although the precise site could not be determined. Endoscopic injection sclerotherapy was performed for colonic varices. Endoscopic clipping was performed for bilateral sites of varices as an additional treatment. Four months after endoscopic treatments, colonoscopy revealed ulcer scars in the transverse colon and shrinkage of the varices.