Edited

Truestone wrote:

"I think that picture shows something a lot larger than 6cm. I question as to how appropriate that picture is to this discussion, since it's not a typical result(and it's not from a medical study or medical webpage)."

Yes...the colon IS a lot larger than 6cm! It would have to be larger or it wouldn't be toxic megacolon!!!

The diagnostic criteria for toxic megacolon is as follows:

" The diagnostic criteria developed by Jalan et al may be helpful to guide the history. They are as follows:
RADIOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE colonic DILATION (CLASSIC FINDING IS >6 cm IN THE TRANSVERSE COLON)
Three of the following - Fever (>101.5°F), tachycardia (>120), leukocytosis (>10.5), or anemia
One of the following - Dehydration, altered mental status, electrolyte abnormality, or hypotension" (Source cited in a previous post)

Note that in order to meet the diagnostic criteria the colon must be GREATER THAN 6cm!

If you are questioning the appropriateness of my toxic megacolon post to this forum in general...you will need to read the original post and additional posts that I directed to Greenie in order to understand how it applies to the discussion that began on this forum.

The previously posted picture is absolutely appropriate to this discussion regarding toxic megacolon because...if you read the copy along side that photograph...you will see that this case involved an individual who presented at an emergency room with a chief complaint of constipation after failing to have a bowel movement for over a month. He also had shortness of breath, fever, an elevated white blood cell count, an extremely distended abdomen with dilation of the colon, and shortly after admittance became lethargic and unresponsive. He died three days later of sepsis (systemic toxicity). In other words...this individual met the diagnostic criteria for toxic megacolon RESULTING FROM CHRONIC CONSTIPATION. His colonic dilation was not the result of inflammation of the colon from colitis with diarrhea (as another posted had stated was the only cause of toxic megacolon)...HE WAS FULL OF SH*T!!!

As for the source of the photograph...although the image itself was taken from an alt/comp med website that advertises colonics (and similar natural healing procedures discussed here at CureZone)...the article itself was presented by Carl K. Hsu, MD, Chief Resident, Mount Sinai School of Medicine Integrated Residency in Emergency Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center and Elmhurst Medical Center, New York.

But if you are still having a problem with the fact that this photograph did not come from a medical study or medical webpage...here is another for you. I believe that this should meet your criteria, yes?!!!

THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF EDINBURGH

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