title: Megacolon: constipation or volvulus?
abstract: Pediatric abdominal complaints are common presentations in emergency departments, and emergency physicians are challenged every day with a vast array of gastrointestinal disorders. Differentiating the child with a benign abdominal process from the child with a more serious condition can be difficult. We report a case of massive dilatation of the colon due to fecal impaction. Means for distinguishing constipation from alternative diagnoses are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lincoln Medica and Mental Health Center, Bronx, NY, USA. waseemm2001@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waseem
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hipp
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000293:Adolescent; D012809:Colon, Sigmoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003248:Constipation / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005244:Fecal Impaction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D045822:Intestinal Volvulus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008531:Megacolon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome