A CASE OF DELAYED ONSET RECTAL PERFORATION DUE TO BLUNT TRAUMA

Abstract

　　We encountered a case of traumatic rectal perforation following an abdominal contusion, with symptoms presenting four days later. A 70-year-old male fell and sustained lower abdominal bruising, with associated pain that subsided quickly. Four days after the injury, he developed lower abdominal pain and was hospitalized. CT revealed intra-abdominal free air, and the patient underwent emergency surgery. A perforation was observed in the sigmoid colon, which was treated by high anterior resection. The transmural perforation caused by the bruising was sealed by adhesions from the surrounding small intestine, leading to a delayed onset of symptoms. In gastrointestinal perforation cases due to blunt trauma, delayed perforations are occasionally reported, leading to symptoms being delayed following injury. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of this pathological condition.