A fecal impaction is a large mass of dry, hard stool that can develop in the rectum due to chronic constipation. This mass may be so hard that it cannot come out of the body. Watery stool from higher in the bowel may move around the mass and leak out, causing soiling.
Alternative Names:
Impaction of the bowels
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
Certain people are at greater risk for developing chronic constipation, which can lead to fecal impaction. Patients at risk include those who:
Methadone maintenance treatment for drug addiction
Anticholinergic medications (drugs that affect the interaction between certain nerves and muscles)
Antidiarrhea medications
Have limited ability to move, such as bedridden patients with dementia, or patients with cerebral palsy
Symptoms:
Sudden, watery diarrhea in someone who has chronic constipation is usually an indication of a fecal impaction. Other symptoms include frequent straining with passage of liquid or small, semi-formed stools, or abdominal cramping and discomfort.
Signs and tests:
The health care provider will examine your stomach area and rectum. The rectal exam will reveal a hard mass of dry stool within the rectum.
If there has been a recent change in your bowel habits, your doctor may recommend a colonoscopy to evaluate for colon or rectal cancer.
Review Date: 10/13/2006
Reviewed By: Jenifer K. Lehrer, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Frankford-Torresdale Hospital, Jefferson Health System, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Motility and Functional Bowel Disorders
