Phlebosclerotic colitis: Our clinical experience of 25 patients in China

The aim of the current study was to enhance the awareness of phlebosclerotic colitis (PC) through our clinical experience. A retrospective review of 25 patients who were diagnosed as PC in our 2 affiliated hospitals from January 2013 to October 2017 was conducted. The patients were found at a mean age of 63.5 years, range 47 to 87years. The majority of patients were male (23 cases). Only 4 patients (16%, 4/25) had the history about long-term use of Chinese herbs and medical liquor. The most common symptoms were abdominal pain (40%) and intestinal obstruction (16%), followed by diarrhea (12%), and gastrointestinal bleeding (12%), etc. Three cases (12%) had no symptoms. The varying degrees of calcifications along the colon and mesenteric venous were found in all of their computed tomography (CT) images. The lesions mainly located in transverse and ascending colon (60%, 15/25). The terminal ileum, the whole colon and rectum involvement were also been found. Fourteen patients had the examination of colonoscopy which all presented characteristic dark purple-colored endoscopic findings. Conservative treatment with close follow-up was preferred in our group. Three cases had the surgery of colectomy due to the repeatedly intestinal obstruction, perforation. The PC was a very rare but characteristic entity with unclear etiopathogenesis. Examination of abdomen CT and colonoscopy could help you to make clinical diagnosis.