Clostridium difficile infection--an unusual cause of refractory pouchitis: report of a case.

Purpose: Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is the surgical procedure of choice for selected patients with severe ulcerative colitis. Pouchitis is a common complication of this procedure, with most cases responding to treatment with metronidazole, possibly with the addition of 5-aminosalicylic acid drugs and steroids. can frequently colonize the colon after treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics, giving rise to diarrhea or colitis.