1/3. Treatment of radiation-induced proctitis with sucralfate enemas.OBJECTIVE: To report a case of radiation-induced proctitis treated with sucralfate enemas. CASE SUMMARY: A 77-year-old white woman was transferred from an acute care institution to our inpatient rehabilitation unit with impaired mobility and reduced activities of daily living. Her condition was secondary to myopathy and peripheral neuropathy associated with postradiation chemotherapy and metastatic ovarian carcinoma. During her stay, she developed hematochezia and pain secondary to a diagnosis of radiation-induced proctitis. Her hemoglobin had reached a nadir of 7.3 g/dL. The patient received blood transfusions and was started on 10% w/v sucralfate retention enemas 2 g/20 mL daily for 12 consecutive days. She was symptom-free at discharge, with a stable hemoglobin of approximately 10 g/dL. DISCUSSION: proctitis is a common adverse effect of radiotherapy to the lower abdomen and pelvic area. sucralfate is an aluminum complex that acts as a local cytoprotective agent against ulceration of the gastrointestinal mucosal lining. Rectal administration of sucralfate, as described in our patient and reported in published case studies, may provide an alternative therapy for patients with radiation-induced proctitis. CONCLUSIONS: sucralfate suspension enemas provide a viable treatment option in patients who are intolerant of, refractory to, or not candidates for standard therapy for radiation-induced proctitis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = radiation-induced (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/3. Formalin treatment of radiation-induced hemorrhagic proctitis.A 71-year-old man developed severe hemorrhagic proctitis 1 year after pelvic irradiation for carcinoma of the urinary bladder. Conservative treatment as well as performance of a colostomy failed to control the rectal bleeding. After irrigation of the rectum with a formalin solution the bleeding stopped, and no recurrence has been observed for the next 14 months.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = radiation-induced (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/3. Effects of radiation on the human gastrointestinal tract.radiation therapy directed at the abdomen may damage the digestive tract, the type and extent of injury depending on the dose of the radiation and the radiation sensitivity of the gut. Characteristic early changes are manifest in the mucosa of the gut: for later ulceration, changes in the collagen tissues and particularly in the vascular channels occur. This paper describes and characterizes injuries to the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing radiation-induced damage to the gut which may occur early or late after radiation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.125keywords = radiation-induced (Clic here for more details about this article) |