CASE REPORTS   

Chirurgia 2008 August;21(4):211-3

Copyright © 2008 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Cecal volvulus. Case report

Leanza S., Maria S., Chiarenza S., Castorina G., Scirè F.

Sezione di Chirurgia d’Urgenza e Generale U.O. Clinicizzata di Chirurgia d’Urgenza Dipartimento di Chirurgia Azienda Ospedaliera Vittorio Emanuele II Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania

Cecal volvulus is a rare cause of bowel obstruction. An 82-year-old man presented with a typical picture of bowel obstruction. Emergency abdominal surgery revealed a considerably enlarged cecum displaced to the upper left quadrant and torsade on an adherence. Viscerolysis and right hemicolectomia were performed. An infrequent diagnosis, cecal volvulus may be caused by abnormal cecal mobility. Imaging studies play a vital role in establishing diagnosis since symptoms are often vague. Surgical treatment includes right hemicolectomia, derotation, cecopexy and cecostomia. Our experience and a review of the literature confirm right hemicolectomia as the treatment of choice for this condition.