Presentation
Patient with abdominal sepsis of uncertain origin. Blood tests showed leucocytosis and altered septic parameters.
Patient Data
Rectal faecaloma with mural thickening and inflammatory changes, as well as intra-abdominal fluid and diffuse pneumoperitoneum. Findings are compatible with stercoral colitis with perforation and diffuse faecal peritonitis.
Case Discussion
Stercoral perforation is a bowel perforation due to the presence of a faecaloma.
A faecaloma causes bowel wall dissension, increasing the pressure in the wall and the persistence of the faecaloma during the time can induce less blood flow and result in local ischaemia that can easily bring on to perforation, necrosis and bleeding of the bowel wall.
It is an uncommon entity but can be dangerous and can lead to abdominal sepsis, acute abdomen and faecal peritonitis.