Familial occurrence of intrathoracic gastric volvulus

Prenatal diagnosis of intrathoracic stomach (gastric herniation)

Intrathoracic stomach is a rare and serious congenital abnormality. The anomaly may be complicated by gastric volvulus and can lead to ischemic gastric infarction in the neonate. If diagnosed antenatally, neonatal management can be planned in advance so as to reduce morbidity. This anomaly must be differentiated from the more common congenital diaphragmatic hernia, as associated pulmonary hypoplasia is common in the latter and rare with gastric herniation. We report an infant born to a mother with Marfan's syndrome with the antenatal diagnosis of intrathoracic stomach. The ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging features of this congenital abnormality are described. A review of the literature would indicate that this is the first case report of gastric volvulus diagnosed in utero.

Gastric volvulus: two cases and a review of the literature

We report two cases of gastric volvulus. A discussion of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of this rare entity is presented.

Gastric torsion: Not such a rare entity

We describe seven patients who suffered chronic gastric torsion, seen during a 28-month period. Four were children, of which three were infants. The infants had projectile vomiting and two also had failure to thrive. The adults presented with epigastric pain and vomiting. Upper gastrointestinal series clinched the diagnosis in all patients. The classic radiographic presentation of a stomach lying across the epigastrium with the cardia and fundus in a dependent position to the body of the stomach and pylorus may be overlooked in some cases. Choice of surgical procedure in its management has been discussed. There was no associated abnormality in four of the six operated cases. One infant had an atretic bowel, vascular anomalies, umbilical hernia, and previous meconium peritonitis; a second infant had jejunojejunal intussusception. A high index of suspicion is warranted in patients presenting with recurrent abdominal pain or in infants with unexplained vomiting and failure to thrive. Upper gastrointestinal series in adults should preferably be performed while the pain is present.

Surgical results of intrathoracic gastric volvulus complicating hiatal hernia

From 1981 to 1988, 138 patients with hiatal hernia were treated surgically at our centre. Twenty-one (mean age 76.6 years, 17 women, four men) had an associated intrathoracic gastric volvulus. Eleven patients (mean age 73.2 years), of whom eight were asymptomatic, had an elective procedure. Ten patients (mean age 80.3 years) had emergency surgery, six for acute complications of the volvulus (five cases of strangulation and one of perforated ulcer) and four because of other, unrelated causes of acute abdomen. There were four deaths after operation, all in the emergency surgery group. Four other patients had significant morbidity, all in the emergency group. In the elective cases, all hernias were easily reduced. In one emergency case a gastrotomy was necessary for decompression, and in another gastrectomy was necessary because of gastric gangrene. Our results indicate the need for elective intervention when intrathoracic gastric volvulus is first diagnosed.