Abstract
Stercoral colitis is the inflammation of the colonic wall caused by fecal impaction. When a patient with a history of chronic constipation visits the Emergency Center with diffuse abdominal pain, sepsis and or rectal bleeding, clinicians should consider the possibility of stercoral colorectal perforation. An accurate diagnosis on a computed tomography (CT) scan (for fecal impaction, intra-abdominal feces, intraperitoneal free air, stranding of the peri-colonic fat in the segment, presence of extraluminal bubbles of gas) may facilitate early surgical intervention and improve the patient’s prognosis based on our clinical experience dealing with three patients who had stercoral colitis.
Highlights
Stercoral colitis is an inflammatory colitis related to increased intraluminal pressure caused by impacted fecal material in the colon
Stercoral colitis is the inflammation of the colonic wall caused by fecal impaction
When a patient with a history of chronic constipation visits the Emergency Center with diffuse abdominal pain, sepsis and or rectal bleeding, clinicians should consider the possibility of stercoral colorectal perforation
Summary
Stercoral colitis is an inflammatory colitis related to increased intraluminal pressure caused by impacted fecal material in the colon. This rare condition, first reported in 1894, has been described primarily in the surgical and gastrointestinal literature [1]. As a result of the fecal impaction, a focal pressure colitis may occur with ulceration resulting in colonic perforation. The most severe complication of Stercoral colitis is colonic perforation and a 35% mortality rate has been reported [2]. The aim of this report is to show that stercoral colitis may lead to colonic perforation and by accurate diagnosis with computed tomography (CT) scan followed by prompt surgery can improve the prognosis.
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