Endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of stercoral colitis

Stercoral colitis is an uncommon inflammatory condition resulting from hard, impacted stool causing pressure necrosis and ulceration of the colonic mucosa. This condition is usually only recognized post hoc in its most severe clinical manifestation when it has already led to perforation and peritonitis requiring surgical exploration. Here we present three cases diagnosed endoscopically, two of which were successfully treated thus avoiding surgery.