Fecal impaction and systemic inflammatory response syndrome in a young male with cerebral palsy.
Symptoms of fecal impaction extend from constipation, anorexia, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, to full blown sepsis. We present the case of a patient with cerebral palsy and mental retardation, who presented to the Emergency Department with a 3-day history of diffuse abdominal pain and fecal incontinence. Evaluation revealed severe fecal impaction. The patient developed systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), with negative workup for underlying etiology. He responded well to digital disimpaction and antibiotics. Our case illustrates the serious sequelae of fecal impaction, which should be considered in patients with neurologic disorders and SIRS.
ElHajj
Ihab I
II
Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
El-Zahabi
Lara M
LM
Abdul-Baki
Haitham
H
Barada
Kassem A
KA
D000328:Adult; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications*; D005244:Fecal Impaction / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*