Chronic ischemic colonic lesion caused by phlebosclerosis with calcification.

We report here two patients in both of whom ileus finally developed and chronic ischemic colonic lesion caused by phlebosclerosis with calcification was diagnosed. We believe that phlebosclerosis is an old-fashioned diagnostic term, but appropriate here because of the remarkable calcification of the sclerotic walls of the colic veins that seems to be one of the most important hallmarks of this previously unrecognized, "new" condition. Phlebosclerosis could be a novel type of ischemic colitis because of its unique clinical presentations, although the pathogenesis of this unusual venopathy remains unknown.