Topical treatment of ulcerative proctitis with lidocaine.

Rectal biopsy specimens from patients with ulcerative proctitis/proctosigmoiditis (UP/PS) were investigated immunocytochemically. In general, a changed mucosal innervation was demonstrated, with a marked increase in the number of nerve fibres and terminals with neuropeptide Y and tyrosine hydroxylase. In a few patients a hyperinnervation with VIPergic or SPergic nerves was seen. These findings indicate that hyperactive local nervous reflexes are of pathogenetic importance. To silence such activity, the diseased mucosa was treated with topically applied lidocaine. Such topical treatment with lidocaine gel in 21 consecutive patients with UP/PS for 3-8 weeks caused a rapid decrease of subjective and objective symptoms. During treatment mucosal integrity was restored, accompanied by depletion of OKT4 and OKT8 lymphocytes from the mucosa. However, the hyperinnervation pattern persisted during treatment.