Giant Fecalith Causing Near Intestinal Obstruction and Rectal Ischemia

• Main Authors: Sofia Nigar, Tagore Sunkara, Andrea Culliford, Vinaya Gaduputi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Karger Publishers 2017-02-01
• Series: Case Reports in Gastroenterology
• Subjects: Fecal impaction; Constipation; Complications of fecalith; Intestinal obstruction; Rectal ischemia; Rectal ulcer; Fecalith
• Online Access: http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/455186
• ISSN: 1662-0631

Fecal impaction if left untreated can lead to the hardening of stools and the formation of fecalith. Fecaliths rarely cause serious complications and are usually managed conservatively. We present this rare case of a giant fecalith causing near obstruction in an institutionalized paraplegic patient at high risk for chronic constipation and fecal impaction. This case was also unusual for causing ischemic pressure necrosis in the rectum, thereby highlighting the possible serious complications of fecalith.