Defecation pain and coccydynia due to an anteverted coccyx: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Defecation pain is a common problem with many etiologies implicated. Elucidating a cause requires a thorough medical history, examination and appropriate investigations, which may include endoscopy, barium enema, examination under anesthesia and magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography. Coccydynia is a term used to describe pain in the region of the coccyx, often due to abnormal mobility of the coccyx. Non-surgical management options remain the gold-standard for coccydynia with surgery being reserved for complicated cases. CASE PRESENTATION: This is a case of a 67-year-old Caucasian man who presented with a two-and-a-half-year history of worsening rectal pain. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, we describe the first case in the literature of an abnormally mobile anteverted coccyx causing predominantly defecation pain and coccydynia, successfully treated by coccygectomy. When first-line investigations fail to elucidate a cause of defecation pain one must, in the presence of unusual symptoms, consider musculoskeletal pathologies emanating from the coccyx and an orthopedic consultation must then be sought for diagnostic purposes.