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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Does Skinny, Harder With Long Lines/ridges Of Stool Imply?

I just changed my 21 month old son's diaper and noticed he had pieces of stool that were skinny, harder with long lines/ridges along the sides. The rest was normal & soft. I'm baffled at the pieces with the ridges. Similar to the underside of a mushroom. Very odd. No pain associated.
Tue, 2 Jan 2018
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General Surgeon,  's  Response
Hi.
Thanks for your query.
Noted the history and understood the concerns.
Since the patient is a child the possible explanation for the hard stripped and riged stool along with normal stool in a diaper can be not passing stool for a few days prior to this finding.
This absorbs too much water from stool in the rectum and terminal colon to make the most distal part as you have noticed.
The excoriated anal area may cause sphincter spasm to give the typical appearance as you have noticed.
So not much to worry.
Watch for the anal area for skin abrasion, excoriation and get the child accordingly.
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What Does Skinny, Harder With Long Lines/ridges Of Stool Imply?

Hi. Thanks for your query. Noted the history and understood the concerns. Since the patient is a child the possible explanation for the hard stripped and riged stool along with normal stool in a diaper can be not passing stool for a few days prior to this finding. This absorbs too much water from stool in the rectum and terminal colon to make the most distal part as you have noticed. The excoriated anal area may cause sphincter spasm to give the typical appearance as you have noticed. So not much to worry. Watch for the anal area for skin abrasion, excoriation and get the child accordingly.