Volvulus of the sigmoid colon: a ten-year study

Sigmoid volvulus in Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers

PURPOSE

Sigmoid volvulus is the third leading cause of large-bowel obstruction. The optimal management strategy remains controversial. This study was undertaken to evaluate the care of patients with sigmoid volvulus recently treated at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals.

METHODS

All patients with the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, Third Edition code for colonic volvulus during the period 1991 to 1995 were identified in the computerized national Department of Veterans Affairs database. Data on patient demographics, clinical course, and outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

Two hundred twenty-eight patients had volvulus of the sigmoid colon and sufficient clinical data for evaluation. The mean age was 70; all were males. Endoscopic decompression was attempted in 189 of 228 (83 percent) patients and was successful in 154 of 189 (81 percent). Management included celiotomy in 178 of 228 (78 percent) patients. There were no intraoperative deaths. Twenty-five of 178 (14 percent) patients died within 30 days of surgery. The mortality rate was 24 percent for emergency operations (19/79), and 6 percent for elective procedures (6/99). Mortality was correlated with emergent surgery (P < 0.01) and necrotic colon (P < 0.05). Among those 50 patients managed by decompression alone, six (12 percent) died during the index admission. Ten of the remaining 44 (23 percent) patients eventually developed recurrent volvulus requiring further treatment, and 2 of 10 (20 percent) patients died.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort sigmoid volvulus often presents as a surgical emergency. Initial endoscopic decompression resolves the acute obstruction in the majority of cases. Surgical intervention carries a substantial risk of mortality, particularly in the setting of emergent surgery or in the presence of necrotic colon.

Sigmoid volvulus in west Africa: a prospective study on surgical treatments

To evaluate the efficacy of different types of surgery, we performed a prospective, randomized trial in 31 consecutively hospitalized patients with sigmoid volvulus. These patients represented 8 percent of 377 cases of emergency surgery. At the time of surgery, the patients were divided into two groups according to the absence (Group A) or presence (Group B) of bowel gangrene. At random, each group was assigned two surgical treatments. Seventeen patients entered Group A and underwent mesosigmoidopexy (seven patients) or resection and primary anastomosis (10 patients). Fourteen patients entered Group B and underwent Hartmann's procedure (eight patients) or resection and primary anastomosis (six patients). Overall mortality was four patients among 31 (13 percent), with a significant prevalence in the group with gangrene (21.4 percent vs. 5.8 percent). In Group A, the rate of success in patients treated with resection-anastomosis was higher than that in patients undergoing mesosigmoidopexy (90 percent vs. 71.5 percent). In Group B, a meaningful difference was observed between the rate of success of patients undergoing Hartmann's procedure and that of those undergoing resection and primary anastomosis (87.5 percent vs. 50 percent). The mortality rates were 12.5 percent and 33.3 percent, respectively. The results of our study show that the therapeutic approach to sigmoid volvulus should be diversified according to the absence or presence of gangrenous colon. The treatment of choice seems to be resection with primary anastomosis in patients with viable colon and Hartmann's procedure in patients with gangrenous colon.

Acute abdominal disease in the aged

The elderly patient with acute abdominal disease may present with a classical clinical picture. However, the presentation often is atypical and perplexes the physician. The factors involved include altered anatomical features, fear of being placed in an institution, difficulty in communicating with the physician and family members, diminished response to infection, and multiple coexisting diseases. Awareness of the atypical clinical presentations and the judicious use of special investigations will enable the clinician to make earlier and more accurate diagnoses and, thus, reduce morbidity and mortality.

Sigmoid volvulus in elderly patients

We reviewed the records of 51 patients over 65 years of age admitted for an initial episode of sigmoid volvulus, and adequate information about their subsequent course was obtained in 92 percent. Nonoperative reduction of the initial volvulus was attempted in 43 patients and was successful in 39 (91 percent). Eleven patients required emergency operations, with a mortality rate of 36 percent. Six patients had elective resections with no deaths. Thirty-three patients, 32 after nonoperative reduction of a volvulus and 1 after operative reduction, were discharged without definitive treatment. Twenty-three of the 33 patients (70 percent) managed by expectant observation had one or more episodes of recurrent volvulus. Five of the 23 patients died from the recurrence without operation, and 16 were operated on either emergently (3 patients) or electively (13 patients) after nonoperative reduction. The mortality rate related to recurrent volvulus or its treatment in the 33 patients observed was 21 percent. The mortality rate for 18 elective resections (6 for initial volvulus and 12 for recurrent volvulus) was 5.6 percent. After successful nonoperative reduction of a sigmoid volvulus in elderly patients, maximal survival is achieved by early elective resection. Age alone is not an adequate reason for adopting a nonoperative approach.

Colon volvulus and the geriatric patient

One is tempted to believe that volvulus in elderly patients on many occasions may be preceded by inactivity and pseudomegacolon. Owing to psychiatric problems, chronic illness, or institutionalization, the patient is more likely to be subjected to treatment with sedatives and psychotropic drugs, causing decreased neuromuscular function of the gut. The basic principles in treating the volvulus are releasing the volvulus, deciding whether a nonoperative or an operative procedure should be employed, and treating complications. As far as surgical management is concerned, several techniques have been suggested, some of which are still controversial. Colonoscopy appears to have become an important method of treatment for volvulus with clearly established indications. Oddly enough, already hospitalized patients are occasionally subjected to delayed attention for volvulus. Therefore, physicians responsible for the care of geriatric patients should be alerted by even fairly mild symptoms of distention, abdominal pain, vomiting, and constipation. Clinical evaluation, including routine films of the abdomen, may avert a major catastrophe.

The management of acute sigmoid volvulus

One hundred and thirty-four patients with acute sigmoid volvulus are analysed. When the diagnosis is made preoperatively, decompression per rectum is effective in 85 per cent of cases, and should be the initial treatment of choice unless gangrene of the bowel is suspected. In this situation emergency laparotomy should be performed and where gangrenous bowel is confirmed a Hartmann resection appears to be associated with a low mortality and least complications. When the sigmoid loop is found to be viable, it should still be resected. The merits and pitfalls of various procedures in this situation are discussed.