Minerva

摘要

A 70 year old woman underwent colonoscopy for abdominal pain. Findings during the procedure showed extensive dark brown pigmentation of the mucosa throughout the colon in addition to multiple sessile polyps. On further questioning, she had been troubled by constipation all her life and she had taken co-danthrusate for many years. This appearance is consistent with pseudomelanosis coli. It is a harmless pigmentation of the colon associated with the use of laxatives containing anthraquinone. The composition of the pigment is unknown. Pseudomelanosis coli is asymptomatic, and although no association has been found with bowel cancer, colorectal adenomas are found more often in patients with this condition. The pigmentation usually improves or disappears when laxatives are no longer taken .