Our sigmoid colon volvulus experience and benefits of colonoscope in detortion process

The sigmoid colon is the most frequent site for a volvulus. In this report, we review our experience with sigmoid colon volvulus.

We present our experience of 81 cases of sigmoid volvulus admitted to our department.

Preoperative endoscopic volvulus detortion was attempted in all patients, and in 39 of them the procedure was successful. The success rate of endoscopic detortion for sigmoid colon volvulus with a flexible colonoscope (60%) was higher than with a rigid rectosigmoidoscope (42%). In 19 of these 39 non-operatively devolvulated patients, sigmoid resection with primary anastomosis was performed within 7-10 days after reduction, but 20 patients did not accept the elective operation after a non-operative treatment. Among the 61 patients undergoing urgent or elective operation for sigmoid volvulus, there were 17 laparotomies with only detortion, 19 resections with elective anastomosis, 6 resections with primary anastomosis, and 19 resections with a Hartmann's pouch. There were 9 deaths (21%) among 42 patients who underwent an emergency operation, and one (5.2%) among the 19 patients who had elective surgery died because of a cerebral embolus.

Initial therapy with endoscopy affords decompression and an adequate preparation of patients for surgical resection, and a flexible colonoscope has notable advantages over rigid instruments for the detortion process.