Woman Constipated for 45 Days Needed Surgery to Remove Feces Large Enough to Tear Intestines

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In a remarkable medical case back in 2013, a 28-year-old housewife endured a staggering 45 days without a bowel movement before undergoing a critical surgery that saved her life.

The woman, referred to as Anusha (name changed), had a life-threatening condition as a "football-sized" mass of hardened fecal matter was discovered blocking her intestines, putting immense pressure on her internal organs and threatening to tear both her large and small intestines.

A Shocking Diagnosis

Anusha first sought medical help at the Nova Specialty Surgery Centre in Chembur, presenting with severe constipation and vomiting.

Her admission that she had not had a bowel movement for over 6 weeks shocked the medical team, as the longest recorded duration of constipation in medical literature at that time was just 10 days.

Typically, fecal impaction—where stool becomes hard and difficult to pass—is observed in individuals who are obese or bedridden. But Anusha, who was of a lean build, became severely malnourished due to her condition.

"Her food intake had decreased, though she wasn’t completely fasting," explained Dr. Amit Thadhani, a consulting general and laparoscopic surgeon at the Nova Centre. "Her abdomen was distended, causing pressure on her other organs."

Complex Surgery to Remove the Blockage

The blockage was located in the sigmoid colon, a section of the large intestine just above the rectum, rather than in the rectum itself, which is more common in such cases. This unusual location made the situation more complex.

The surgical team had to create an additional opening to remove the mass, as it was lodged approximately one foot inside from the rectal opening. The doctors employed a procedure known as a sigmoid colostomy, carefully avoiding the use of instruments to break the rock-hard fecal mass, which could have further endangered the integrity of the intestines.

"She was fortunate her intestines hadn’t already ruptured," Dr. Thadhani noted.

Post-Surgery Care

Following the successful two-hour surgery, Anusha was discharged, but her ordeal didn’t end there. Dr. Thadhani suggested that her extreme constipation might have a psychological component, prompting a referral to a psychiatrist for further evaluation.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the complex interplay between physical and mental health, and the importance of timely medical intervention in preventing potentially fatal outcomes.