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intestinal volvulus
Sign in to saveA volvulus is a bowel obstruction resulting from a loop of intestine twisting around itself and its supporting mesentery. Symptoms include abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, vomiting, constipation, and bloody stool. Onset of symptoms may be rapid or more gradual. The mesentery may become so tightly twisted that blood flow to part of the intestine is cut off, resulting in ischemic bowel. In this situation there may be fever or significant pain when the abdomen is touched.
Key facts
- Medical condition (new).name
- Volvulus
- Medical condition (new).image
- Volvulus.PNG
- Medical condition (new).caption
- Coronal CT of the abdomen, demonstrating a volvulus as indicated by twisting of the bowel stock
- Medical condition (new).field
- General surgery
- Medical condition (new).symptoms
- Abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, vomiting, constipation, bloody stool
- Medical condition (new).complications
- Ischemic bowel
- Medical condition (new).onset
- Rapid or more gradual
- Medical condition (new).risks
- Intestinal malrotation, enlarged colon, Hirschsprung disease, pregnancy, abdominal adhesions, chronic constipation
- Medical condition (new).diagnosis
- Medical imaging (plain X-rays, GI series, CT scan)
- Medical condition (new).treatment
- Sigmoidoscopy, barium enema, bowel resection
- Medical condition (new).frequency
- 2.5 per 100,000 per year
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
11 sectionsContents
- Signs and symptoms
- Complications
- Causes
- Types
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Sigmoid
- Cecal
- Other
- References
- External links
A volvulus is a bowel obstruction resulting from a loop of intestine twisting around itself and its supporting mesentery. Symptoms include abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, vomiting, constipation, and bloody stool. Onset of symptoms may be rapid or more gradual. The mesentery may become so tightly twisted that blood flow to part of the intestine is cut off, resulting in ischemic bowel. In this situation there may be fever or significant pain when the abdomen is touched.
Risk factors include a birth defect known as intestinal malrotation, an enlarged colon, Hirschsprung disease, pregnancy, and abdominal adhesions. Long term constipation and a high fiber diet may also increase the risk. The most commonly affected part of the intestines in adults is the sigmoid colon, with the cecum being the second most affected. In children the small intestine is more often involved. The stomach can also be affected. Diagnosis is typically with medical imaging such as plain X-rays, a GI series, or CT scan.