Perforation of the cecum resulting from a closed-loop obstruction in a patient with an adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Bowel obstruction is one of the principal non-traumatic causes of general surgery emergencies, both in Brazil and worldwide. This condition can be classified according to the degree (complete or incomplete), clinical course (acute or chronic) or nature (mechanical, vascular or functional) of the obstruction. CASE REPORT: ESS, a 62-year old Brazilian woman from Rio de Janeiro, was admitted to the emergency department complaining of constipation of two weeks' duration. She also reported fever and fecal vomiting in the preceding two days.A syndromic diagnosis of bowel obstruction was made, and the patient was referred for CT. The sigmoid colon, descending colon, transverse colon, ascending colon, the cecum and the terminal ileum were resected. DISCUSSION: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the elderly, perforation of the cecum occurs in only around 3–8% of cases. 15 This can be explained by the fact that patients with colorectal cancer present with wasting syndrome before the bowel lumen becomes completely obstructed. In a literature review conducted for this study, only one publication was found in which rupture of the cecum was associated with colorectal cancer. CONCLUSION: Although rupture of the cecum associated with colorectal cancer is a rare pathology, it constitutes a surgical emergency; therefore, all surgeons should be aware of the possibility.