Colonic obstruction secondary to lithobezoar in a child

Ahmed El Mouloua

PAMJ. 2022; 42:272. Published 11 Aug 2022 | doi:10.11604/pamj.2022.42.272.36514

A nine-years-old girl with no history of abdominal surgery was presented to the emergency department with a seven-days-lasting abdominal pain, yellow vomiting and constipation; the stool was brownish mixed with small stones. There was no history of fever or similar episodes. Her development history revealed multiple episodes of earth and stone-eating since her 3 years. The physical examination revealed a well-developed child with stable vital signs, the abdomen was slightly distended and tense in its lower part. There was a palpable lump in the hypogastric area and in left iliac fossa. Rectal examination demonstrated a rectal ampulla full of small stones. Abdominal X-ray showed gravel inside the large bowel and rectum with a distended transverse and left colic angle. Manual evacuation, and colonic lavage were done and repeated twice daily for three days. At the fourth day an abdominal X-ray showed clearance of all stones from the colon and no signs of colonic obstruction or perforation.
Corresponding author
Ahmed El Mouloua, Pediatric Surgery Unit, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah Hospital, Essaouira, Morocco (elmouloua.ahmed@gmail.com)


The Pan African Medical Journal (ISSN: 1937-8688) is a subsidiary of the Pan African Medical Journal. The contents of this journal is intended exclusively for professionals in the medical, paramedical and public health and other health sectors.

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