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Arch Surg. 2007;142(1):98.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Answer: Perforated Stercoral Ulcer

At laparotomy, the patient was found to have perforation of the rectum with impacted stool in the vault. There was no evidence of diverticulitis. The patient underwent resection of the affected portion of her rectum with end colostomy.

Stercoral perforation has been defined as "perforation of the large bowel due to pressure necrosis from fecal masses."¹ Historically, it has been considered a relatively rare cause of colonic perforation. Fewer than 70 cases were reported in the literature before 1998.² However, the actual incidence may be higher than previously thought. In a prospective study from a university hospital, Maurer et al³ found that stercoral perforation accounted for 1.2% of all emergency colorectal cases and 3.2% of all colonic perforations. The incidence may be underestimated due to misdiagnosis and lack of clear diagnostic criteria.

The median age of presentation is about 60 years with an equal gender distribution.⁴ Often, patients have a . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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