The spectrum of colonic involvement in pancreatitis.

Colonic involvement as a result of pancreatitis is an uncommon but interesting complication of the disease. Among the significant manifestations we have seen are: 1) adynamic ileus of the transverse colon, 2) fibrosing, stenosing pericolitis localized to the splenic flexure area, and 3) colonic hemorrhage secondary to necrosis and fistula formation. Ordinarily, conservative treatment will suffice, but in complicated cases, individualized surgical treatment becomes necessary.