title: Effective treatment of solitary rectal ulcer syndrome using argon plasma coagulation.
abstract: Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS) is a chronic, multiform, non-cancerous disorder of the rectum, the final diagnosis of which is based upon histopathological criteria. This disorder is often accompanied by latent proctoptosis. We present a patient who (in 1996) was the first case in which argon plasma coagulation (APC) was used for SRUS treatment. In the years 2004-2005 the same patient underwent 15 APC sessions (at monthly intervals) obtaining full recovery from SRUS, although she had been treated unsuccessfully for 17 years prior to that. Six-year observation did not show any relapse. Local therapy with APC seems to be an important alternative in SRUS treatment without prolapse of the rectum and could become a basic method for bleeding treatment in SRUS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Propaedeutics Surgery, Clinical Department of General, Colorectal and Trauma Surgery, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Waniczek
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Economics, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rdes
authors.affiliation: Department of Propaedeutics Surgery, Clinical Department of General, Colorectal and Trauma Surgery, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Rudzki
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of General and Bariatric Surgery and Emergency Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piecuch
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Gastrointestinal Surgery, City Hospital No. 1, Bytom, Poland.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rubicz
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Gastrointestinal Surgery, City Hospital No. 1, Bytom, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arendt
keywords: argon plasma coagulation; rectal ulcer; solitary rectal ulcer syndrome