Many people will feel extremely uncomfortable being constipated for a few days.
However, you will feel even more horrified when you learn that a man has suffered from constipation for 22 years.
Currently, he is undergoing major surgery to remove all the feces that have accumulated since birth due to constipation that has prevented him from defecating for 22 years.
A shocking medical case has emerged, involving a Chinese man who endured a staggering 22 years of chronic constipation before undergoing emergent surgery to remove the accumulated feces.
The poor patient, 22, whose name was not disclosed, is believed to have had Hirschsprung's disease, a rare condition that causes the swelling of the intestines due to the lack of nerve fibers that control bowel movements.
According to reports, the man had to undergo emergency surgery to remove a large amount of feces accumulated in his body after suffering from chronic constipation for 22 years.
According to the patient, he had been constipated for many years and had taken laxatives to relieve the pain. However, they became useless as his constipation became more severe.
Finally, the man had to seek medical help.
Doctors shared that his abdomen was severely swollen and looked like it was about to explode due to the large amount of feces accumulating, causing severe pain.
The major surgery took place at the 10th People's Hospital in Shanghai, China to remove the giant tumor inside the man's body.
Doctors had to remove about 30 inches of the man's severely swollen colon containing about 28 pounds of feces. After repairing the damaged intestine, doctors sew both ends to prevent stool leakage.
Doctor Yin Lu said the surgery was successful.
Hirschsprung's disease affects about 1 in 5,000 babies. It is rare for adults to be diagnosed with this condition and is more common in males.
Hirschsprung's disease is linked to certain inherited conditions like Down syndrome and congenital abnormalities such as congenital heart disease.
The disease is present from birth and usually shows noticeable symptoms early on, although sometimes they become apparent as the child grows older.
In severe cases, individuals may need stoma surgery, which creates an opening in the abdomen to divert feces into a pouch.
Surgery is always required for Hirschsprung's disease.
In infants, symptoms include no meconium passage within 48 hours, along with a swollen abdomen, gas, diarrhea, and vomiting of green fluids.
In young children, signs include a swollen abdomen, chronic constipation, poor growth, and feeding difficulties.
