A rare case of intestinal perforation, refractory radiation enteritis after pelvic cavity radiotherapy for cervical cancer is reported. A 59-year-old woman with a past history cervical cancer and received tumor bed irradiation (4000 cGy) three months previously suffered chronic abdominal pain for one month and sudden onset of peritonitis caused by perforation of the small intestine. She underwent laparotomy and was found to have perforation of the jejunum in the radiation field. Histopathological examination of resected intestine revealed evidence of severe chronic radiation enteritis. A diagnosis of chronic radiation enteritis and intestinal perforation should be considered in patients who had received abdominal irradiation and who manifest abdominal pain after irradiation. The symptom of diarrhea and hemorrhage of radiation enteritis was refractory even one year after operation.
F. Abbasakoor, C. J. Vaizey and P. B. Boulos. Improving the morbidity of anorectal injury from pelvic radiotherapy. Colorec- tal Disease, 2006, 8(1): 2-10.
S. P. Rao, V. Anderson, E. Shlasko, et al. Intestinal perforation 14 years after abdominal irradiation and chemotherapy for Wilms tumor. Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, 1996, 18(2): 187-190.
