Ulcerative Colitis (UC) usually runs a course of disease activity and inactivity spanning years. Rarely and unpredictably, life-threatening complications may arise1 [full text]. Fulminating UC may, despite intensive inpatient medical treatment, progress to perforation of the colon with or without preceding toxic megacolon. Emergency removal of the complete colon (total colectomy with ileostomy) may be life-saving.
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