Fecaloma

WikiDoc Resources for Fecaloma
Articles
Most recent articles on Fecaloma Most cited articles on Fecaloma Review articles on Fecaloma Articles on Fecaloma in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ
Media
Powerpoint slides on Fecaloma Images of Fecaloma Photos of Fecaloma Podcasts & MP3s on Fecaloma Videos on Fecaloma
Evidence Based Medicine
Cochrane Collaboration on Fecaloma Bandolier on Fecaloma TRIP on Fecaloma
Clinical Trials
Ongoing Trials on Fecaloma at Clinical Trials.gov Trial results on Fecaloma Clinical Trials on Fecaloma at Google
Guidelines / Policies / Govt
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Fecaloma NICE Guidance on Fecaloma NHS PRODIGY Guidance FDA on Fecaloma CDC on Fecaloma
Books
Books on Fecaloma
News
Fecaloma in the news Be alerted to news on Fecaloma News trends on Fecaloma
Commentary
Blogs on Fecaloma
Definitions
Definitions of Fecaloma
Patient Resources / Community
Patient resources on Fecaloma Discussion groups on Fecaloma Patient Handouts on Fecaloma Directions to Hospitals Treating Fecaloma Risk calculators and risk factors for Fecaloma
Healthcare Provider Resources
Symptoms of Fecaloma Causes & Risk Factors for Fecaloma Diagnostic studies for Fecaloma Treatment of Fecaloma
Continuing Medical Education (CME)
CME Programs on Fecaloma
International
Fecaloma en Espanol Fecaloma en Francais
Business
Fecaloma in the Marketplace Patents on Fecaloma
Experimental / Informatics
List of terms related to Fecaloma

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Synonyms and keywords: a tumor made of feces; fecalith; coprolith; stones made of feces

Overview

A fecaloma (meaning ) is a hardening of feces into stones of varying size inside the colon,

Pathophysiology

A fecaloma occurs whenever chronic obstruction of transit of feces occurs.

Cuases

• Megacolon and chronic constipation

Some diseases, such as Chagas disease, Hirschsprung's disease and others provoke the destruction of the autonomic nervous system inside the colon's mucosa (Auerbach's plexus) and may cause extremely large (giant) fecalomas, which must be surgically removed (disimpaction). Normally, however, fecalomas can be manually disimpacted or by passing colonic tubes (catheters which carry a flow of disimpaction fluid (solvent).

Natural History, Complications and Prognosis

Fecal impaction may have severe and even lethal effects, such as the rupture of the colon's walls by acute angles of the fecalomas (stercoral perforation), followed by septicemia. A fecolith is also usually the cause of acute appendicitis.

See also

• Fecal impaction

References

Creason N, Sparks D. Fecal impaction: a review. Nurs Diagn. 2000 Jan-Mar;11(1):15-23. Review. PMID 10847055 it:Fecaloma