Massive Megacolon Due to Giant Faecaloma of the Sigmoid Colon in an Elderly Patient

Abstract

Faecaloma is a mass of inspissated faeces, typically found in the rectosigmoid colon. Furthermore, faecalomas may cause intestinal obstruction, stercoral ulcer development and colon perforation, which may be due to the pressure effect of large faecal mass. We herein present a case of massive megacolon due to giant faecaloma in a 72-year-old man with symptoms of mechanical ileus. During surgery, there was a giant faecaloma, 10 cm in diameter, within the sigmoid colon, and a Hartmann left colon resection was performed. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief overview of this condition and discuss treatment options.

Keywords

• faecaloma
• ileus
• intestinal obstruction
• mechanical bowel obstruction
• megacolon