"Solitary" Nonspecific Ulcers of the Colon

Abstract

Nonspecific and usually solitary ulcers of the colon occasionally have been recognized ever since they were first described in 1832 by Cruveilhier.¹Originally regarded as rare and interesting observations made at necropsy, these ulcers, in the more recent literature, have received attention in respect to clinical features, which can mimic such diverse conditions as acute appendicitis, diverticulitis, intestinal obstruction, and colonic carcinoma. Excellent collective reviews by Barron²(1928) and by Yates and Clausen³(1960) have brought to more than 100 the number of pathologically verified examples of the lesion. These reviews, with contributions by Feldman,⁴Miller and Juhl,⁵and others, should be consulted by those interested in the historical aspects, including the continuing difficulty of verification of the diagnosis by clinical, roentgenologic, and proctologic means. This paper embodies an analysis of data obtained in a study of 22 patients who had nonspecific ulcers of the