The Extremes of Constipation: A Case of Stercoral Perforation From Fecal Impaction in a Teenager

Abstract

Stercoral perforation is a rare sequela of poorly controlled constipation that is more commonly seen in older, bedridden patients than in pediatric patients. We present the case of a 13-year-old patient requiring a divided sigmoid colostomy following rectal perforation, one of the few examples in the pediatric literature of stercoral perforation from chronic constipation. The current report highlights the importance of appropriate treatment of functional constipation at onset and the life-threatening complications that can occur without appropriate follow-up.