Glutaraldehyde Colitis: A Complication of Screening Flexible Sigmoidoscopy in the Primary Care Setting
Authors: Karl Fukunaga
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2000)

Letters15 August 2000Glutaraldehyde Colitis: A Complication of Screening Flexible Sigmoidoscopy in the Primary Care SettingKarl Fukunaga, MD and Afshin Khatibi, MDKarl Fukunaga, MDTorrance Memorial Medical Center; Torrance, CA 90505 (Fukunaga)Torrance Memorial Medical Center; Torrance, CA 90505 (Khatibi) and Afshin Khatibi, MDTorrance Memorial Medical Center; Torrance, CA 90505 (Fukunaga)Torrance Memorial Medical Center; Torrance, CA 90505 (Khatibi)Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-133-4-200008150-00032 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Glutaraldehyde is the standard chemical used to disinfect endoscopic equipment (1). Introduction of glutaraldehyde into the gastrointestinal tract can cause toxicity. We report two cases of glutaraldehyde colitis that occurred after normal screening flexible sigmoidoscopies in the patients' primary care physician's office. Both patients developed rectal bleeding and abdominal pain within 24 hours of sigmoidoscopy and associated fever and leukocytosis (leukocyte count, 16.2 to 20.0 × 109 cells/L). Follow-up endoscopy showed ulcerations and friability (Figure). The histologic picture resembled ischemic colitis with necrosis and regenerative changes. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed thickening of the rectosigmoid colon ...References1. American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Infection control during gastrointestinal endoscopy: guidelines for clinical application. From the ASGE. Gastrointest Endosc. 1999;49:836-41. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Birnbaum BA, Gordon RB, Jacobs JE. Glutaraldehyde colitis: radiologic findings. Radiology. 1995;195:131-4. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Kozarek RA. Transmission of hepatitis C during colonoscopy [Letter]. N Engl J Med. 1997;337:1848-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. West AB, Kuan SF, Bennick M, Lagarde S. Glutaraldehyde colitis following endoscopy: clinical and pathological features and investigation of an outbreak. Gastroenterology. 1995;108:1250-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Rozen P, Somjen G, Baratz M, Kimel R, Arber N, Gilat T. Endoscope-induced colitis: description, probable cause by glutaraldehyde, and prevention. Gastrointest Endosc. 1994;40:547-53. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Karl Fukunaga, MD; Afshin Khatibi, MDAffiliations: Torrance Memorial Medical Center; Torrance, CA 90505 (Fukunaga)Torrance Memorial Medical Center; Torrance, CA 90505 (Khatibi) PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byEffectiveness of sigmoidoscopy for assessing ulcerative colitis disease activity and therapeutic responseGlutaraldehyde-induced colitis: Case reports and literature reviewOther Diseases of the Colon and RectumAcute rectocolitis following endoscopy in health check-up patients—glutaraldehyde colitis or ischemic colitis?Complications of EndoscopyDoes colonoscopy cause increased ulcerative colitis symptoms?Exogenous endoscopy-related infections, pseudo-infections, and toxic reactions: clinical and economic burdenEndoscope reprocessing and repair costsColonic Toxicity of Administered Drugs and Chemicals 15 August 2000Volume 133, Issue 4Page: 315KeywordsColitisColonComputed axial tomographyEndoscopyFlexible sigmoidoscopyGastrointestinal infectionsPatientsResearch laboratoriesToxicityUlcers ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 15 August 2000 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2000 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...