Report of an Unusual Case With Severe Fecal Impaction Responding to Medication Therapy

Abstract

Fecal impaction is a disorder characterized by a large mass of compacted feces in the rectum and/or colon, which cannot be evacuated. For mild and moderate fecal impaction, recommended treatments include stool softeners, oral mineral and olive oil, and edema; for severe fecal impaction, manual removal is needed and sometimes laparotomy may be indicated if medical therapies are not effective. Here we report a case with severe fecal impaction who did not defecate for 75 days. We treated this patient with vegetable oil, Chinese traditional medicine and enema in sequence. After 12 days of therapy, she evacuated hard fecal masses, and the symptoms were relieved.

Olive oil enema in a pre‐term infant with milk curd syndrome

“…Recently, a patient with severe fecal impaction was successfully treated with olive oil by softening and moving the hard fecal mass . Another report noted that in a European country, people with greater virgin olive oil intake seemed to have better bowel habits .…”

Fecaloma presenting as huge abdominal mass

“…Fecal impaction is common in bedridden and debilitated elderly patients. Intestinal obstruction due to prolonged fecal impaction in the distal colon is rare as it is amenable to manual evacuation and enemas . Patients with schizoaffective disorders and those on antipsychotic medication have a high risk of fecal impaction.…”

“…Intestinal obstruction due to prolonged fecal impaction in the distal colon is rare as it is amenable to manual evacuation and enemas. 1 Patients with schizoaffective disorders and those on antipsychotic medication have a high risk of fecal impaction. Neglected fecaloma can lead to intestinal obstruction, compartment syndrome, stercoral colitis, and colonic perforation.…”

An interesting case of faecolith intestinal obstruction

“…[9][10] The treatment essentially consists of exploratory laprotomy, enterostomy and removal of Faecolith. 11,12…”