Editing Toxic megacolon (section)

{{Short description|Potentially lethal large intestine emergency}}
{{Infobox medical condition (new)
| name          = Toxic megacolon
| synonyms      = Megacolon toxicum
| image         = Colonic pseudomembranes low mag.jpg
| caption       = [[Micrograph]] of [[pseudomembranous colitis]], a cause of toxic megacolon. [[H&E stain]].
| pronounce     =
| field         = [[Gastroenterology]]
| symptoms      = Swelling of the belly, Pain in the belly, Fever, Rapid heart rate, Shock, Diarrhea.<ref>{{cite web |last1=<!--none listed-->|website=Johns Hopkins Medicine|title=Toxic Megacolon |url=https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/toxic-megacolon|date=19 November 2019|access-date=15 March 2023}}</ref> 
| complications = [[Septic shock]], perforation of the colon
| onset         =
| duration      =
| types         =
| causes        =
| risks         = Chronic bowel disease
| diagnosis     =
| differential  =
| prevention    =
| treatment     =
| medication    =
| prognosis     = [[Death|Fatal]] without treatment
| frequency     =
| deaths        =
| alt           = [[Micrograph]] of pseudomembranous colitis
}}
'''Toxic megacolon''' is an acute form of colonic distension.<ref>{{DorlandsDict|five/000064014.htm|Toxic megacolon}}</ref> It is characterized by a very dilated [[Colon (anatomy)|colon]] ([[megacolon]]), accompanied by abdominal distension ([[bloating]]), and sometimes [[fever]], [[abdominal pain]], or [[Shock (circulatory)|shock]].

Toxic megacolon is usually a [[Complication (medicine)|complication]] of [[inflammatory bowel disease]], such as [[ulcerative colitis]] and, more rarely, [[Crohn's disease]], and of some [[infections]] of the colon, including ''[[Clostridioides difficile (bacteria)|Clostridioides difficile]]'' infections, which have led to [[pseudomembranous colitis]]. Other forms of megacolon exist and can be [[congenital]] (present since birth, such as [[Hirschsprung's disease]]). It can also be caused by ''[[Entamoeba histolytica]]'' and ''[[Shigella]]''. It may also be caused by the use of [[loperamide]].