Korean J Gastrointest Endosc.  2011 May;42(5):311-314.

A Case of Stercoral Perforation of Sigmoid Colon Diagnosed by Colonoscopy

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. drjtj@paik.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Pathology, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Stercoral perforation of the colon is a rare disease. Yet, in recent times, the number of reported cases has increased because of the growing elderly population. Stercoral perforation of the colon usually occurs in the elderly or bedridden patients with chronic constipation. Stercoral perforation may cause a massive hemorrhage or peritonitis. The prognosis of stercoral perforation is poor, as the reported postoperative mortality is 35~40%. So, early diagnosis and proper treatment are very important for improving survival. However, making an early diagnosis may be difficult because of the nonspecific initial symptoms. We experienced a case of stercoral perforation that was diagnosed by colonoscopy. The defect was in the sigmoid colon, and it was covered with peritoneum. The patient completely recovered after resection and anastomosis of the perforated colon. We report here on this case with a review of the relevant literature.

Keyword

Stercoral perforation; Peritonitis; Colonoscopy

MeSH Terms

Aged
Colon
Colon, Sigmoid
Colonoscopy
Constipation
Early Diagnosis
Hemorrhage
Humans
Peritoneum
Peritonitis
Prognosis
Rare Diseases
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