Fecal impaction
Alerts and Notices
Important News & Links
Synopsis
Primary risk factors include inadequate fiber and water intake and colonic hypomotility. Adverse medication effects (eg, opioid effects) can also contribute to constipation, which can lead to fecal impactions.
Management includes manual disimpaction, enemas, and polyethylene glycol treatment. If these methods are unsuccessful, mineral oil enemas and colonoscopy for disimpaction can be considered, as can surgical disimpaction. Addressing the underlying predisposing condition is critical to preventing recurrence.
Codes
K56.41 – Fecal impaction
SNOMEDCT:
44635007 – Fecal Impaction
Look For
Subscription Required
Diagnostic Pearls
Subscription Required
Differential Diagnosis & Pitfalls
Subscription Required
Best Tests
Subscription Required
Management Pearls
Subscription Required
Therapy
Subscription Required
Drug Reaction Data
Subscription Required
References
Subscription Required
Last Updated:12/07/2016