This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Letters to the Editor: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when Letters to the Editor are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by RENSHAW, T. S.
Right arrow Articles by PHELPS, D. B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by RENSHAW, T. S.
Right arrow Articles by PHELPS, D. B.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 1972;54:1070-1072.
© 1972 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc

Perforation of Colonic Diverticula

A LIFE-THREATENING POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATION IN PATIENTS RECEIVING LONG-TERM C0RTIC0STER0ID THERAPY

THOMAS S. RENSHAW M.D.1 and DENNIS B. PHELPS M.D.1

1 From the Section of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor

A potentially fatal postsurgical complication which may occur in patients who have had long-term steroid therapy is the perforation of colonic diverticula in the early postoperative period.

Three cases of this complication are reported, and the pertinent literature is reviewed. The presence of diverticulosis in patients who have had long-term steroid administration may increase the risk of any proposed surgical procedure. Postoperative abdominal symptoms in these patients are cause for immediate concern. Their inflammatory responses are altered and they may not exhibit the characteristic changes in temperature and laboratory studies typical of peritonitis.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?