Stercoral Colitis Secondary to Opiate-Induced Constipation

Pranav R Chepyala; Anjali R Daniel; Murdoc B Gould; Muneet Gill; Latha Ganti

doi:10.7759/cureus.50511

Stercoral Colitis Secondary to Opiate-Induced Constipation

Cureus. 2023 Dec 14;15(12):e50511. doi: 10.7759/cureus.50511. eCollection 2023 Dec.

Authors

Pranav R Chepyala¹, Anjali R Daniel², Murdoc B Gould³, Muneet Gill⁴, Latha Ganti^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA.
² Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.
³ Chemistry, Rollins College, Winter Park, USA.
⁴ Emergency Medicine, Brown University, Providence, USA.
⁵ Medical Sciences, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, USA.
⁶ Emergency Medicine and Neurology, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, USA.

Abstract

The authors present the case of a 62-year-old woman who had stercoral colitis secondary to opiate use for rheumatoid arthritis leading to chronic constipation. Computed tomography imaging demonstrated stool along a significant length of the colon. Stercoral colitis is a seldom suspected cause of severe abdominal pain. Although constipation may seem benign, when it gets to the level of a stercoral colitis, mortality due to colonic perforation is a very real concern. The authors review the presentation, risk factors, and management of stercoral colitis.

Keywords: chronic constipation; constipation; opiate-induced constipation; stercoral colitis; stercoral ulcer perforation.

Publication types

Case Reports