title: Giant fecaloma with idiopathic sigmoid megacolon: report of a case and review of the literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fecal impaction is a common condition, and " fecaloma" is an extreme variety of impaction. This is a report of a giant, solitary, and stubborn fecaloma not responding to nonoperative management. A surgical intervention for uncomplicated fecal impaction is rarely needed and reported in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 39-year-old male patient with constipation presented with a firm, mobile, abdominal mass of six-months duration. Investigations revealed an isolated, giant fecaloma in a redundant sigmoid megacolon. After all the conservative measures were unsuccessful in evacuating the stubborn impaction, he was treated by sigmoid colectomy and primary anastomosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A timely surgical intervention in recalcitrant fecal impactions may prevent possible stercoral ulcer perforation with a high mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, India.
authors.forename: Ambil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rajagopal
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D003082:Colectomy; D003248:Constipation / Q000150:complications; D005244:Fecal Impaction / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008531:Megacolon / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012810:Sigmoid Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*