A Case Report of Myxedema Megacolon Required Sigmoidectomy

Shinya Adachi, Muneaki Watanabe, Akira Osada, Azusa Ozaki, Yoji Iwasaki¹⁾

Department of Surgery, Kinu Medical Associaton Hospital
Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba¹⁾

A 62-year-old male was admitted to the hospital with acute abdominal pain. X-ray films of the abdomen showed ileus due to sigma volvulus, and he underwent a repairing operation. After surgery, myxedematous skin appeared on his extremities, and thyroidal examination revealed the patient had had marked hypothyroidism with myxedema megacolon. For three months after the surgery he received thyroid hormone treatment, but paresis of the large intestine worsened. Accordingly, the sigmoid colon was resected. Histological examination revealed marked deposits of myxedematous material in the submucosa layer and the internal circurating muscles. He was discharged from the hospital and is living well with treatment with levothyroxine sodium.

Key words
myxedema megacolon, hypothyroidism, paralytic ileus

Reprint requests
Shinya Adachi Kinu Medical Association Hospital
13-3 Araigi-cho, Mitasukaido, 303 JAPAN

Accepted
December 13, 1989

To read the PDF file you will need Abobe Reader installed on your computer.