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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Murine Ileocolic Bowel Resection with Primary Anastomosis
Published on: October 29, 2014
Small bowel obstruction presenting with a rectal haematoma.
Omar A Mownah1, Zaed Z Hamady, Mark J Rogers
1Omar A Mownah, Zaed Z Hamady, Mark J Rogers, Department of Colorectal Surgery, Pinderfields General Hospital, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 4DG, United Kingdom.
A rare case of small bowel obstruction presented unusually as a rectal mass. This rectal haematoma, found during examination, is a previously unreported cause of bowel obstruction.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Case Reports
Background:
- Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common surgical emergency.
- Typical presentations include abdominal pain, vomiting, and distension.
- Rectal masses are not commonly associated with SBO.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report an exceptionally rare case of SBO.
- To highlight an unusual presenting sign of SBO.
Main Methods:
- Case presentation of an 85-year-old male patient.
- Clinical examination including digital rectal examination (DRE).
- Endoscopic visualization of the rectal mass.
Main Results:
- A palpable rectal mass was detected on DRE.
- Endoscopy revealed the mass to be a rectal haematoma.
- The rectal haematoma was the cause of the SBO.
Conclusions:
- A rectal haematoma can present as a palpable mass and cause SBO.
- This presentation is highly unusual and previously unreported in medical literature.
- Clinicians should consider rare causes in atypical presentations of SBO.
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