The Identification and Treatment of Toxic Megacolon Secondary to Pseudomembranous Colitis

In Brief Toxic megacolon is an infrequently occurring, potentially life-threatening complication of pseudomembranous colitis. Although toxic megacolon may be considered rare, incidence is expected to increase because of the rapidly increased prevalence of pseudomembranous colitis. This article discusses the pathophysiology, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for toxic megacolon secondary to pseudomembranous colitis. Critical care nurses should be aware of the disease to intervene early and increase the chance of the patient's survival. Toxic megacolon occurs infrequently as a complication of pseudomembranous colitis but is potentially life-threatening. The pathophysiology, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for toxic megacolon are discussed in this article.