title: Acute colitis caused by caustic products.
abstract: We report two cases of acute proctocolitis caused by rectal application of caustic products of domestic use. One 61-yr-old woman applied an ammonia solution enema; the other patient, a 63-yr-old woman, accidentally applied an enema containing lye. Both patients presented with intense anal pain, but the first patient also had abdominal pain with guarding, hematochezia, and leucocytosis. An acute proctocolitis was found at sigmoidoscopy in both patients. Only conservative and symptomatic measures were prescribed in both cases, and a clinical and endoscopic recovery was seen. In spite of persistent fibrosis in the lamina propria, no signs of stenosis were found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: da Fonseca
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leal
mesh_terms: D000061:Accidents, Home; D000208:Acute Disease; D000641:Ammonia / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004733:Enema / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008191:Lye / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011350:Proctocolitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D012812:Sigmoidoscopy
chemical_list: D008191:Lye; D000641:Ammonia