A Case of Neutropenic Enterocolitis Following Aplastic Anemia

Masami Mitani, Yoshiyuki Kuwabara, Hiroyuki Kawamura, Atsushi Satou, Kouji Hattori, Akira Masaoka

The Second Department of Surgery, Nagoya City University of Medical School

A 75-year-old man attended our hospital complaining of right lower abdominal pain and fever following aplastic anemia. He had tenderness and rebound pain at the right lower abdomen. The CT and US findings of swelling in the intestine from the terminal ileum to the ascending colon suggested neutropenic enterocolitis. In emergent laparotomy, swelling of intestines as shown at CT and US examination and necrotized cecum were resected and anastomosis was performed end to side using a stapling device. After operation, the patient recovered with an increasing neutrophil count due to the effect of antibiotics and granulocyte colony stimulating factor. Generally neutropenic enterocolitis only attacks the immunocompromised patients with neutropenia. Where neutropenia is present, early detection of neutropenic enterocolitis is essential when a patient complains of clinical symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever or diarrhea.

Key words
neutropenic enterocolitis, aplastic anemia, ileocecal resection

Reprint requests
Masami Mitani The Second Department of Surgery, Nagoya City Hospital of Medical School
1 Kawasumi Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467 JAPAN

Accepted
June 12, 1996

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