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Principles and Practice of Geriatric Surgery pp 635–643Cite as

Benign Colorectal Disease

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Abstract

The incidence of benign medical and surgical diseases of the colon and rectum increases with age. Although constipation, fecal incontinence, and several other associated benign conditions increase in frequency with aging, a paucity of information exists regarding the normal aging effect on gastrointestinal pathophysiology. Studies documenting anatomic, physiologic, and pathologic changes that occur in the aging colon have not been definitive; and many studies have reported conflicting results. Mucosal atrophy, atrophy of circular muscles, thickening of longitudinal muscles (taeniae coli), increased elastin deposition, and atherosclerosis are several of the changes seen in the aging bowel.1 These changes may factor into the development of several disease states (i.e., diverticular disease and angiodysplasia). Myriad medications affect gastrointestinal function and many have constipation as a side effect. Preexisting diseases (cardiac, pulmonary, renal, neurologic, psychiatric) factor into the cause of several benign colorectal diseases, directly or secondarily, because of the medications used to treat the disease.

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Authors
  1. Elisa H. Birnbaum
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Ronnie A. Rosenthal MD (Associate Professor, Chief, Surgical Service) (Associate Professor, Chief, Surgical Service)

  2. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, 06516, CT, USA

    Ronnie A. Rosenthal MD (Associate Professor, Chief, Surgical Service) (Associate Professor, Chief, Surgical Service)

  3. Department of Surgery, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, 10461, NY, USA

    Michael E. Zenilman MD (Associate Professor and Vice-Chairman, Chief of Surgery) (Associate Professor and Vice-Chairman, Chief of Surgery)

  4. Jack D. Weiler Hospital of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, 10461, NY, USA

    Michael E. Zenilman MD (Associate Professor and Vice-Chairman, Chief of Surgery) (Associate Professor and Vice-Chairman, Chief of Surgery)

  5. Wyoming Valley Surgical Associates, Kingston, 18704, PA, USA

    Mark R. Katlic M.D. (Chief of Thoracic Surgery) (Chief of Thoracic Surgery)

  6. Wyoming Valley Healthcare System, Wilkes-Barre, 18702, PA, USA

    Mark R. Katlic M.D. (Chief of Thoracic Surgery) (Chief of Thoracic Surgery)

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© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Birnbaum, E.H. (2001). Benign Colorectal Disease. In: Rosenthal, R.A., Zenilman, M.E., Katlic, M.R. (eds) Principles and Practice of Geriatric Surgery. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3432-4_45

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3432-4_45

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-3434-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-3432-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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