Volvulus (patient information)

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Volvulus

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

Who is at highest risk?

Diagnosis

When to seek urgent medical care?

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for Volvulus?

Prevention

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

Volvulus On the Web

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

Images of Volvulus

Videos on Volvulus

FDA on Volvulus

CDC on Volvulus

Volvulus in the news

Blogs on Volvulus

Directions to Hospitals Treating Volvulus

Risk calculators and risk factors for Volvulus

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Jinhui Wu, M.D.; Assistant Editor-in-Chief: Meagan E. Doherty

Overview

A volvulus is a twisting of the intestine that can occur in childhood. It causes a blockage, and may cut off blood flow and damage part of the intestine.

What are the symptoms of Volvulus?

Symptoms are usually severe enough that infants are taken early to the emergency room, which can be critical for survival.

What are the causes of Volvulus?

A birth defect called intestinal malrotation can make infants more likely to develop a volvulus. However, a volvulus can occur without malrotation.

Volvulus due to malrotation often occurs early in life, usually in the first year.

Who is at risk for Volvulus?

How to know you have Volvulus (Diagnosis)?

The following tests are done to diagnose volvulus

When to seek urgent medical care

This is an emergency condition. The symptoms of childhood volvulus develop quickly and the child becomes severely ill. Get medical attention immediately.

Treatment options

Emergency surgery is needed to repair the volvulus. A surgical cut is made in the abdomen. The bowels are untwisted and the blood supply restored.

If a small segment of bowel is dead from a lack of blood flow (necrotic), it is removed. The ends of the bowel are sewn back together. Or, they are used to form a connection of the intestines to the outside, through which bowel contents can be removed (colostomy or ileostomy).

Diseases with similar symptoms

Where to find medical care for Volvulus

Directions to Hospitals Treating Volvulus

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)

Diagnosing and treating volvulus quickly generally leads to a good outcome.

If the bowel is dead (necrotic), the outlook is poor. The situation may be life-threatening, depending on how much of the bowel is dead.

Possible Complications

Sources


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