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[Transient intestinal obstruction due to stool impaction in the elderly]
Young Hye Byun1, Young Sook Park, Seok Jin Myung
1Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji University School of Medicine, Eulji Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology = Taehan Sohwagi Hakhoe Chi
|September 24, 2005
Summary
Fecal impaction is a preventable cause of intestinal obstruction in elderly patients. Prompt diagnosis and management are crucial for differentiating it from other serious conditions.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Geriatrics
Context:
- Acute intestinal obstruction requires prompt diagnosis and treatment, especially in the elderly.
- Fecal impaction is a significant and often preventable cause of colonic obstruction in older adults.
Purpose:
- To investigate the clinical features of elderly patients presenting with intestinal obstruction symptoms caused by fecal impaction.
- To evaluate diagnostic findings and management strategies for transient intestinal obstruction due to fecal impaction.
Summary:
- Nineteen elderly patients (mean age 79.3) with transient intestinal obstruction due to fecal impaction were studied.
- Clinical presentation included abdominal pain and distension; rectal exams were often unrevealing.
- Sigmoidoscopy confirmed fecal impaction and relieved symptoms in many cases, with colonoscopy ruling out other pathologies.
Impact:
- Highlights fecal impaction as a critical, often overlooked cause of intestinal obstruction in the elderly.
- Emphasizes the importance of considering fecal impaction in the differential diagnosis of elderly patients with constipation and obstruction symptoms.
- Underscores the need for appropriate diagnostic and management approaches to prevent complications.