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Symptoms of fecal impaction extend from constipation, anorexia, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, to full blown sepsis. We present the case of a patient with cerebral palsy and mental retardation, who presented to the Emergency Department with a 3-day history of diffuse abdominal pain and fecal incontinence. Evaluation revealed severe fecal impaction. The patient developed systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), with negative workup for underlying etiology. He responded well to digital disimpaction and antibiotics. Our case illustrates the serious sequelae of fecal impaction, which should be considered in patients with neurologic disorders and SIRS.

We report the cases of two children, ages 8 and 10 years, with painful defecation and constipation due to impaction of sunflower seed shells that did not respond to laxative and enema therapy. Physical examination revealed a prickly mass in the rectal vault. Proctoscopy revealed bezoars of sunflower seed shells, which were removed by endoscopic biopsy forceps followed by a combination of rectal irrigation and manual disimpaction. The rectal pain resolved, and bowel habits returned to normal with laxatives. Patients with rectal bezoars who fail to respond to enemas or colonic lavage may require endoscopic management for resolution of their symptoms.

A case of cecal infarction proximal to an obstructing fecaloma is presented. The patient's medical records revealed a 19-year history of the abuse of prescribed narcotic, sedative, psychotropic, and anticholinergic drugs. Gangrene in this case was caused by compression of intramural vessels secondary to a sustained increased in intracolonic pressure. The greatest effect of this increased pressure was found in the cecum, where wall tension and colonic distention were greatest. This report indicates that the colonic effects of chronic drug abuse have the potential for becoming a true surgical emergency.