Fecalith

Medical condition

Fecalith
Other names	Fecolith, coprolith, stercolith

A fecalith marked by the arrow which has resulted in acute appendicitis.
Specialty	General surgery

A fecalith is a stone made of feces. It is a hardening of feces into lumps of varying size and may occur anywhere in the intestinal tract but is typically found in the colon. It is also called appendicolith when it occurs in the appendix and is sometimes concurrent with appendicitis.^[1] They can also obstruct diverticula. It can form secondary to fecal impaction. A fecaloma is a more severe form of fecal impaction, and a hardened fecaloma may be considered a giant fecalith. The term is from the Greek líthos=stone.^[2]

Diagnosis

CT scan
Projectional radiography
Ultrasound

Complications

A small fecalith is one cause of both appendicitis and acute diverticulitis.

Appendicolith as seen on CT
Appendicolith as seen on plain X ray

References

^ Al-Nakshabandi, Nizar; Aljefri, Ahmad (2009). "The stranded stone: Relationship between acute appendicitis and appendicolith". Saudi Journal of Gastroenterology. 15 (4): 258–60. doi:10.4103/1319-3767.56106. PMC 2981843. PMID 19794272.
^ Alaedeen, Diya I.; Cook, Marc; Chwals, Walter J. (May 2008). "Appendiceal fecalith is associated with early perforation in pediatric patients". Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 43 (5): 889–92. doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2007.12.034. PMID 18485960.

External links

Ramdass, Michael; Young, Quillan; Milne, David; Mooteeram, Justin; Barrow, Shaheeba (1 February 2015). "Association between the appendix and the fecalith in adults". Canadian Journal of Surgery. 58 (1): 10–14. doi:10.1503/cjs.002014. PMC 4309758. PMID 25427333.
Nigar, Sofia; Sunkara, Tagore; Culliford, Andrea; Gaduputi, Vinaya (28 February 2017). "Giant Fecalith Causing Near Intestinal Obstruction and Rectal Ischemia". Case Reports in Gastroenterology. 11 (1): 59–63. doi:10.1159/000455186. PMC 5465791. PMID 28611554.
Mahida, Justin B.; Lodwick, Daniel L.; Nacion, Kristine M.; Sulkowski, Jason P.; Leonhart, Karen L.; Cooper, Jennifer N.; Ambeba, Erica J.; Deans, Katherine J.; Minneci, Peter C. (June 2016). "High failure rate of nonoperative management of acute appendicitis with an appendicolith in children". Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 51 (6): 908–911. doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2016.02.056. PMID 27018085.

Diseases of the human digestive system

Upper GI tract

Esophagus	Esophagitis Candidal Eosinophilic Herpetiform Rupture Boerhaave syndrome Mallory–Weiss syndrome Zenker's diverticulum Barrett's esophagus Esophageal motility disorder Nutcracker esophagus Achalasia Esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction Diffuse esophageal spasm Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) Esophageal stricture Inlet patch Megaesophagus Esophageal intramural pseudodiverticulosis Acute esophageal necrosis
Stomach	Gastritis Atrophic Ménétrier's disease Gastroenteritis Peptic (gastric) ulcer Cushing ulcer Dieulafoy's lesion Dyspepsia Functional dyspepsia Pyloric stenosis Achlorhydria Gastroparesis Gastroptosis Portal hypertensive gastropathy Gastric antral vascular ectasia Gastric dumping syndrome Gastric volvulus Buried bumper syndrome Gastrinoma Zollinger–Ellison syndrome

Esophagus

Esophagitis
- Candidal
- Eosinophilic
- Herpetiform
Rupture
- Boerhaave syndrome
- Mallory–Weiss syndrome
Zenker's diverticulum
Barrett's esophagus
Esophageal motility disorder
Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR)
Esophageal stricture
Inlet patch
Megaesophagus
Esophageal intramural pseudodiverticulosis
Acute esophageal necrosis

Stomach

Lower GI tract
Enteropathy

Small intestine (Duodenum/Jejunum/Ileum)	Enteritis Duodenitis Jejunitis Ileitis Peptic (duodenal) ulcer Curling's ulcer Malabsorption: Coeliac Tropical sprue Blind loop syndrome Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth Whipple's Short bowel syndrome Steatorrhea Milroy disease Bile acid malabsorption
Large intestine (Appendix/Colon)	Appendicitis Colitis Pseudomembranous Ulcerative Ischemic Microscopic Collagenous Lymphocytic Dysentery Functional colonic disease IBS Intestinal pseudoobstruction / Ogilvie syndrome Megacolon / Toxic megacolon Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis/SCAD
Large and/or small	Enterocolitis Necrotizing Gastroenterocolitis IBD Crohn's disease Vascular: Abdominal angina Mesenteric ischemia Angiodysplasia Bowel obstruction: Ileus Intussusception Volvulus Fecal impaction Constipation Functional Diarrhea Infectious Intestinal adhesions
Rectum	Proctitis Radiation proctitis Proctalgia fugax Rectal prolapse Anismus Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome
Anal canal	Anal fissure/Anal fistula Anal abscess Hemorrhoid Anal dysplasia Pruritus ani

GI bleeding

Accessory

Liver	Hepatitis Viral hepatitis Autoimmune hepatitis Alcoholic hepatitis Cirrhosis PBC Fatty liver MASLD Vascular Budd–Chiari syndrome Hepatic veno-occlusive disease Portal hypertension Nutmeg liver Alcoholic liver disease Liver failure Hepatic encephalopathy Acute liver failure Liver abscess Pyogenic Amoebic Hepatorenal syndrome Peliosis hepatis Metabolic disorders Wilson's disease Hemochromatosis
Gallbladder	Cholecystitis Gallstone / Cholelithiasis Cholesterolosis Adenomyomatosis Postcholecystectomy syndrome Porcelain gallbladder
Bile duct/ Other biliary tree	Cholangitis Primary sclerosing cholangitis Secondary sclerosing cholangitis Ascending Cholestasis/Mirizzi's syndrome Biliary fistula Haemobilia Common bile duct Choledocholithiasis Biliary dyskinesia Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction
Pancreatic	Pancreatitis Acute Chronic Hereditary Pancreatic abscess Pancreatic pseudocyst Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency Pancreatic fistula

Other

Hernia	Diaphragmatic Congenital Hiatus Inguinal Indirect Direct Umbilical Femoral Obturator Spigelian Lumbar Petit's Grynfeltt–Lesshaft Undefined location Incisional Internal hernia Richter's
Peritoneal	Peritonitis Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis Hemoperitoneum Pneumoperitoneum