fecaliths

(noun)

a fecaloma, also called fecalith, fecolith, and coprolith, i.e., a "stone" made of feces, is a hardening of feces into lumps of varying size inside the colon, which may appear whenever chronic obstruction of transit occurs, such as in megacolon and chronic constipation.

Related Terms

Examples of fecaliths in the following topics:

  • Appendicitis

    • The causative agents include foreign bodies, trauma, intestinal worms, lymphadenitis, and most commonly, calcified fecal deposits known as appendicoliths or fecaliths.
    • The occurrence of obstructing fecaliths has attracted attention since their presence in patients with appendicitis is significantly higher in developed than in developing countries, and an appendiceal fecalith is commonly associated with complicated appendicitis.
    • The occurrence of a fecalith in the appendix seems to be attributed to a right-sided fecal retention reservoir in the colon and a prolonged transit time.