Endoscopy in Diagnosis of Ischaemic Colitis

Abstract

Barium enema examination and clinical presentation are the twin pillars of diagnosis in the detection of colonic ischaemia. Colonoscopy is the third diagnostic tool in the evaluation of patients with this condition. Owing to the risk of perforation of necrotic bowel, the use of colonoscopy in the diagnosis of ischaemic colitis is relatively uncommon. Carter et al., (1959) and Littman et al., (1963) were the first to describe the sigmoidoscopic observations of reversible vascular occlusion of the colon.