Volvulus

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Volvulus

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A 70-year-old man comes to the emergency department because of abdominal distension. The patient has had abdominal pain, nausea, and decreased appetite associated with progressive abdominal distension for the past three days. His last bowel movement was five days ago. The rest of the review of systems is unremarkable. Past medical history is significant for chronic constipation, hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolemia. The patient had an open cholecystectomy several years ago. Temperature is 37.6°C (99.8°F), pulse is 90/min, respirations are 18/min, and blood pressure is 140/70 mmHg. Physical examination shows a distended and tympanitic abdomen with diffuse tenderness to palpation, but no rigidity, rebound tenderness, or guarding. A supine abdominal x-ray is shown below. Which pathophysiological process most likely contributed to this patient’s condition?  



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The term volvulus actually comes from the Latin word volvere, which means “to roll”.

So a volvulus is an obstruction caused by a loop of the intestine that rolls or twists around itself and its surrounding mesentery, which is the tissue that attaches the intestine to the back wall of the abdomen.

The three most common types of volvulus are a sigmoid volvulus, which happens in the the last part of the large intestine, leading to the rectum; a cecal volvulus, which happens in the beginning of the large intestine, and a midgut volvulus, which happens in the small intestine.

Now, a sigmoid volvulus is the most common type of volvulus, and it can happen in a variety of settings.

One classic one being pregnancy, because the growing fetus can cause displacement and twisting of the colon.

It can also develop, though, in middle-aged and elderly individuals.

This can sometimes happen as a result of chronic constipation, where a big load of stool can act like a pivot point around which the rest of the colon can twist.

Hirschsprung disease, a disease of the large intestine that causes severe constipation or intestinal obstruction, therefore raises the risk for developing sigmoid volvulus.

In addition, there are also abdominal adhesions, where internal scar tissue creates a physical attachment between two parts of the abdomen, which again serves as a pivot point around which the colon can twist.

A cecal volvulus is usually found in young adults, and usually happens in individuals who didn’t develop their abdominal mesentery normally during fetal development.

Since some mesentery contacts may be missing in these individuals, the colon can flop around freely and any large object—like a baby in pregnancy or a load of stool in someone constipated—can act as a pivot point in the cecum and cause the colon to twist.

Summary

Volvulus is an obstruction caused by a loop of an intestine that rolls or twists around itself and its surrounding tissue. There are three types of volvulus: sigmoid, cecal, and midgut, with sigmoid being the most common. Risk factors include chronic constipation, Hirschsprung disease, and abdominal adhesions. Symptoms range from mild bloating to severe pain and bowel infarction. Diagnosis is usually made through abdominal x-rays or barium enema. Treatment options include sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or surgery depending on the type and severity of the volvulus. Surgery typically involves untwisting the intestine and attaching it to the abdominal wall.

Sources

  1. "Robbins Basic Pathology" Elsevier (2017)
  2. "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, Twentieth Edition (Vol.1 & Vol.2)" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2018)
  3. "Pathophysiology of Disease: An Introduction to Clinical Medicine 8E" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2018)
  4. "CURRENT Medical Diagnosis and Treatment 2020" McGraw Hill Professional (2019)
  5. "Our sigmoid colon volvulus experience and benefits of colonoscope in detortion process" Revista Española de Enfermedades Digestivas (2004)
  6. "Management of Colonic Volvulus" Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery (2012)
Elsevier

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