Abstract

Obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract by the progressive fibrotie process of chronic pancreatitis is being recognized with increasing frequency. The structures commonly affected are parapancreatic in location and include the common bile duct in its intrapancreatic portion, the second and third portion of the duodenum and the colon, most commonly the transverse segment. Colonic involvement of varying severity is less common and not well recongnized, and stenosing lesions of the colon are a rare and confusing sequale to pancreatitis. Some cases of colonic stenosis complicated by pancreatitis cannot be differentiated radiologically from carcinoma. The clinical history, enzyme studies and location of the stenosis in the left colon may alert the clinician to this rare diagnosis. We report a patient with stenosis of the colon due to chronic pancreatitis in whom the initial presenting symptoms and radiologic finding resemble colon cancer. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc 18: 6ll5-610, 1998)

• Keywords: Chronic pancreatitis , Stenosis of the colon