Korean J Gastrointest Endosc.  1999 Aug;19(4):659-666.

A Case of Hydrogen Peroxide Induced Colitis

• Cho SK
• Kim YK
• Lee YR
• Kim YH
• Park SM
• Ku SY
• Kim JK
• Lee YS
• Kim KH

Abstract

Hydrogen peroxide has been used for various medical purposes and also recommended in the disinfection process for endoscopes. However, hydrogen peroxide as a cause of chemical colitis or disinfectant colitis has been infrequently reported. The endoscopic findings of hydrogen peroxide induced colitis revealed pseudomembranous-like enteritis such as white plaques, erythema, foamy liquid, patchy, granularity, and ulcerations, resulting from effervescence caused by the release of oxygen from the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide. A 36 year-old single male, who had 30 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide inserted into his anus the day before due to sexual reasons, was hospitalized as a result of suffering from hematochezia, tenesmus, and lower abdominal pain. Colonoscopy revealed discrete or confluent white plaques adherent to the colonic mucosa, severe erythema on the surrounding mucosa, patchy granularity, and scattered ulcerations up to 28 cm from the anal verge. Pathologic finding revealed inflammatory cells infiltration, variable sized vacuoles, vascular congestion, hemorrhage, fibrin deposition and ulcerations with regenerating epithelium in the lamina propria, consistent with acute mucosal injury caused by hydrogen peroxide. A case of hydrogen peroxide induced colitis is herein reported.

Keyword

Hydrogen peroxide; Chemical colitis; Disinfectant colitis

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Adult
Anal Canal
Colitis*
Colon
Colonoscopy
Disinfection
Endoscopes
Enteritis
Epithelium
Erythema
Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)
Fibrin
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage
Hemorrhage
Humans
Hydrogen Peroxide*
Hydrogen*
Male
Mucous Membrane
Oxygen
Ulcer
Vacuoles
Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)
Fibrin
Hydrogen
Hydrogen Peroxide
Oxygen