Surgical treatment of colonic volvulus. 10-year experience at the Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubirán
Remes-Troche, J.M.; Pérez-Martínez, C.; Rembis, V.; Arch Ferrer, J.; Ayala González, M.; Takahashi, T.
Revista de Gastroenterologia de Mexico 62(4): 276-280
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0375-0906 PMID: 9528296 Document Number: 478568
To analyze morbidity-mortality and results of surgical treatment for colonic volvulus. Retrospective review of 33 patients who underwent surgical treatment for colonic volvulus from 1986 through 1996. Mean age was 62 +/- 20 years (SD) with predominance of female sex (2:1). There were 25 cases of sigmoid volvulus (76%), 7 in the cecum (21%) and 1 in the transverse colon (3%). Colonic necrosis and/or perforation were most frequently seen in the right and transverse colon (50%) than in the sigmoid (4%) (P < 0.002). Operative morbidity was 45% with mortality of 21%. Age was the only variable statistically significant for operative morbidity (52 +/- 23 years in patients without morbidity vs 71 +/- 17 years in patients with morbidity, P = 0.02). Surgical procedures for sigmoid volvulus were resection in 13 and fixation in 12. Recurrence after fixation was 38% to 12 months and 69% to 24 months (Kaplan-Meier), with associated mortality of 50%. There was no recurrence after resections. Treatment for cecal volvulus was cecopexy in 4 cases, with one recurrence; and right hemicolectomy without recurrence. The results should encourage resective procedures in sigmoid volvulus because the risk of recurrence after fixation is high and the morbidity-mortality is similar. Elderly patients are more susceptible to complications.