Delayed neutropenic enterocolitis in a 12-year-old girl treated with total colectomy and J-pouch reservoir.

Neutropenic enterocolitis (NE) is a clinicopathologic condition characterized by bowel wall inflammation, which can proceed to necrosis and perforation. It is mostly seen in neutropenic patients with leukemia who undergo induction treatment with chemotherapy. Most often the cecum is involved. The authors present a 12-year-old girl with acute lymphocytic leukemia who, under maintenance therapy, experienced NE. The disease was localized to the left side of colon, and even the rectum was involved, which is an unusual localization of the disease. An ileoanal anastomosis with a J-pouch was done in a second operation with a good outcome. Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.