Ischemic colitis may present as megacolon, often with toxic megacolon.
Ischemic colitis may be the primary pathology, or it may develop secondary to another process such as bowel obstruction.
Forms of ischemic colitis (Margolis et al):
(1) transient
(2) strictured
(3) gangrenous
(4) megacolon
Megacolon is present when the diameter is > 6 cm.
If the ischemia is intermittent and reversible then a megacolon is potentially reversible if the cause can be corrected. Once the ischemia is irreversible then it will progress to toxic megacolon.
Differential diagnosis:
(1) fulminant colitis
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