Rare Presentation of Stercoral Ulcer Spontaneous Perforation Without Preceding Radiographic Evidence of Colonic Inflammation and Fecal Impaction

Abstract

Stercoral ulcers are caused by persistent fecal impaction. A life-threatening consequence of stercoral ulcers is colonic perforation, which is rare. A high index of clinical suspicion should be held for patients with stercoral ulcer, as colonic perforation is a medical emergency, requiring immediate surgical intervention. Here, we report a case of a 45-year-old female admitted with sepsis of unknown picture and subsequently developed stercoral ulcer perforation (SUP), diagnosed intraoperatively, without prior radiographic evidence of colonic inflammation. She was successfully managed with emergency laparotomy and left colectomy with sigmoid colectomy.

Keywords: colitis; colon; constipation; fecal impaction; radiographical findings; stercoral ulcer perforation.