Use of accurate diagnostic criteria may increase incidence of stercoral perforation of the colon

Abstract

The incidence of stercoral perforation of the colon seemed to have been underestimated. The reason for this might be the lack of defined diagnostic criteria for this disease. Low mortality is obtained by early surgical eradication of the affected part of the colon, including all stercoral ulcers, and by aggressive therapy for peritonitis.

Stercoral colitis: diagnostic value of CT findings

“…Limited surgeries may be associated with inferior clinical outcomes, since residual affected colonic segments carry the risk of recurrent perforations. In the literature, several studies suggest that in patients with stercoral perforation of the colon optimal outcome can be achieved by resection of the whole affected colon segment with an end colostomy (mucous fistula/Hartmann's procedure) (7)(8)(9). Our results tend to agree with these studies.…”

“…From 1894 to 2011, fewer than 150 cases with stercoral perforation of the colon have been reported (4,6). In a different study, the incidence of stercoral perforation of the colon was determined as 0.5% of all surgical colorectal procedures through laparotomy, 1.2% of all emergency colorectal procedures, and 3.2% of all colonic perforations (8). Perforation of the colon resulting from stercoral colitis has been reported to be associated with a 35% mortality rate (1,5).…”

Effect of Early Surgery on Outcome In Perforation Peritonitis

“…So, together with other studies, our study will help to the define the early intervention. Early surgical intervention is associated with 23,24 high survival reported in very few studies . We reported good postoperative outcomes with earlier surgical intervention (within the first 6 h) and high rate of death among late intervention group.…”

Perforación estercorácea de colon

“…La constipación severa parece ser la causa de la formación de fecalomas pétreos que mantienen una presión permanente sobre las paredes del colon (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Las úlceras colónicas por fecaloma no siempre acaban en perforación pero sí la presencia de varios fecalomas implica la posibilidad de varias úlceras y perforaciones como en nuestra paciente.…”