Pneumaturia and faecaluria: Symptoms leading to a life-saving diagnosis

Colonic diverticulosis is often asymptomatic, but it can complicate bleeding, abscess and stricture. Pneumaturia and faecaluria are unexpected manifestations of colonic diverticulitis complicated by colovesical fistula formation.

This case report highlighted a 57-year-old man who presented with lower abdominal pain which was associated with pneumaturia and fecaluria. He was diagnosed with colovesical fistula after being misdiagnosed with other diseases from various clinic visits. Direct fluoroscopy was performed and a diverticular fistula of the sigmoid colon was confirmed by computed tomography of the abdomen. Hartmann's procedure and resection of the posterior wall of the bladder were resected.

Pneumaturia and faecaluria are common but distinct manifestations of complicated diverticular diseases. Attention should be paid to general practitioners to achieve proper referral, hence early treatment and prevention of disease-related complications.