PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Lesley Ann Saketkoo
AU  - Luis R Espinoza
TI  - Normal bowel function restored after oxygen therapy in systemic sclerosis and colonic inertia.
DP  - 2007 Aug 01
TA  - The Journal of Rheumatology
PG  - 1777--1778
VI  - 34
IP  - 8
4099  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/34/8/1777.short
4100  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/34/8/1777.full
SO  - J Rheumatol2007 Aug 01; 34
AB  - Colorectal involvement with obstructed defecation is a common complication of progressive systemic sclerosis (pSSc), compromising quality of life and placing patients at risk for life-threatening complications. Treatment for colonic inertia in these patients includes laxatives, prokinetics, and ultimately colectomy, which is associated with high morbidity and mortality in pSSc. We describe a woman with scleroderma and colonic inertia recommended for total abdominal colectomy. As a result of respiratory decompensation, she was placed on oxygen by nasal cannula, after which bowel motility with regularity was restored, obviating the need for colectomy.