Bulimia nervosa presenting as rectal purging and rectal prolapse: case report and literature review

Rectal prolapse, but not rectal purging (excessive finger evacuation to induce defecation), has been formally associated with eating disorders in the medical literature. We describe a young woman with bulimia nervosa and irritable bowel syndrome who used rectal purging as a method of counteracting the effects of her binge eating and who underwent two corrective surgeries for rectal prolapse in a 15-month interval. Further research into the relationship between eating disorders, rectal purging, and gastrointestinal dysfunction is called for.