[The adnexal torsion in children]

Adnexal torsion is the most frequent gynaecological emergency in children. It requires an early diagnosis and an urgent surgical treatment.

to study the clinical, paraclinical and therapeutic aspect of adnexal torsion in paediatric population.

This is a retrospective review of nine girls with the diagnosis of ovarian torsion observed over a 7 years period (January 1999 to December 2005).

The average age is 9 years (extreme 6 to 13 years). This pathology was located in 5 cases on the right side and in 3 cases on the left side; a case of bilateral torsion of poly-cystic ovary was encountered in a girl with down syndrome. Clinical presentation is made in all the cases by abdominal pains and vomiting. The disorders of the transit and the urinary signs are associated in 3 and 2 cases respectively, the clinical examination objectified a pelvic defense in all the cases and an abdominal mass in 2 cases. Pelvic ultra-sonography was made in 6 observations and give the diagnosis of torsion of the ovary in 4 cases, whereas it was doubtful in the 2 remaining cases when an ovarian mass was observed. In the 3 remaining cases, this examination was not performed since one the diagnosis of acute appendicitis was retained and the patient operated in emergency. All the children of our series were operated; in 1/3 of the cases we found a necrosis of the ovary. 4 cases out of 9 present a torsion on pathologic ovary (cyst, dysplasia), whereas in the 5 remaining cases, we noted a torsion on healthy ovary. 4 young girls have undergoes a annexectomy, of which one was bilateral. The evolution was favorable in all the cases.

Adnexal torsion is a surgical emergency that need an early diagnosis and management to preserve ovarian function in girls and Doppler sonography every must be done every time there is a pelvic pain without fever in girls