Ischaemic colitis associated with oral contraceptive and bisacodyl use

Abstract

A woman with a history of hip replacement presented 3 days prior to revision of the hip with abdominal pain, diarrhoea and haematochezia. These symptoms began 6 h after she began taking bisacodyl in preparation for her upcoming surgery. She was on low-dose estradiol for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Subsequent colonoscopy and biopsies were consistent with acute colonic ischaemia (CI). She was treated with intravenous fluids and antibiotics and discharged and told to stop HRT and bisacodyl. Follow-up colonoscopy 1 month after discharge was normal. This case adds to the three other previously reported cases of bisacodyl-associated CI.