A Case of Penetration Caused by Retrograde Bowel Drainage Tube for Management of Obstructed Sigmoid-colon Cancer

Abstract

A 78-year-old man was transferred to our hospital because of lower abdominal pain and abdominal fullness. From the results of a computed tomography (CT) scan, we made a diagnosis of ileus caused by a sigmoid colonic tumor. A retrograde bowel drainage tube was placed through the anus and the colon obstruction was relieved. However, 3 days after insertion peritoneal signs appeared and a subsequent CT scan reveal a bowel perforation. A Hartmann operation was performed when sigmoid colonic cancer was confirmed with a perforation at the oral side of the cancer. The surgical findings confirmed the perforation was caused by the insertion of the tube.