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

Highlights • Bowel obstruction is one of the principal non-traumatic causes of general surgery emergencies, both in Brazil and worldwide. • The progression of bowel obstruction, particularly when the ileocecal valve is competent, may result in excessive dilatation of the cecum. • A syndromic diagnosis of bowel obstruction was made, and the patient was referred for CT. • The estimates of the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA) for this country in 2016 were around 16,660 new cases in men and 17,620 in women. • Colorectal cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the elderly, perforation of the cecum occurs in only around 3 to 8% of cases.