Korean J Gastrointest Endosc.
2011 May;42(5):311-314.
A Case of Stercoral Perforation of Sigmoid Colon Diagnosed by Colonoscopy
- Affiliations
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- 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.
