A Case of Eosinophilic Colitis

Takahiko Misao, Toshio Ikeda, Shigeki Hayashi

Department of Surgery, Kurashiki Municipal Kojima Hospital

We report a case of isolated eosinophilic colitis. A 74-year-old woman was admitted as an emergency right lower abdominal pain. There was no history of allergy. The peripheral eosinophil count was normal. A working diagnosis of acute appendicitis was made and laparotomy was performed. At the operation, an indurated mass at the hepatic flexure and a dilated proximal colon were noted; the appendix was normal. A right hemicolectomy was performed. Histological examination of the colonic mass showed a heavy eosinophilic infiltrate throughout all layers of the bowel associated with marked submucosal thickening. A diagnosis of eosinophilic colitis was made. Postoperatively, skin eruptions appeared when food intake was started, and the serum IgG level was high. However no specific food was identified as an allergen. Twelve cases of eosinophilic colitis have now been reported in Japan. Laparotomy was performed in three cases, but there are no reports of this condition being treated surgically as an acute abdomen. Thus, this case seems to be extremely rare.

Key words
eosinophilic gastroenteritis, eosinophilic colitis

Reprint requests
Takahiko Misao Department of Surgery, Kurashiki Municipal Kojima Hospital
2-39 Ekimae, Kojima, Kurashiki, 711 JAPAN

Accepted
May 13, 1992

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