title: From fecal impaction to colon perforation.
abstract: The authors present the case of an elderly, nonverbal nursing home resident with dementia who developed fecal impaction, despite interventions such as enema. Subsequent stercoral perforation of the sigmoid colon resulted in peritonitis, sepsis, and death. The authors discuss colon perforation as a result of fecal impaction, as well as the difficulties of pain assessment and communication in patients with dementia.
authors.affiliation: Memorial Hospital of South Bend, South Bend, IN, USA. lcraft@memorialsb.org
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Craft
authors.forename: Joseph A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Prahlow
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000451:nursing; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D004733:Enema; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005244:Fecal Impaction / Q000150:complications* / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology* / Q000451:nursing; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology