title: Stercoraceous perforation of the sigmoid colon: report of two cases.
abstract: Stercoraceous perforation of the sigmoid colon has rarely been reported in the literature. This lesion is assumed to be produced by the pressure from a hard scybalum resulting in a perforated ulcer with necrotic edges. Two cases of stercoraceous perforation of the sigmoid colon are presented in this paper. It is difficult to diagnose this lesion preoperatively, although ultrasonograms proved useful in showing the colon perforation. This lesion should always be suspected when a patient who has had chronic constipation presents with sudden severe abdominal pain. It is possible that this lesion is becoming more common as the mean age of the population increases and we stress the importance of immediate surgery and intensive care for improving the prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kozima
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tei
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mishima
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005244:Fecal Impaction / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012810:Sigmoid Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery