[Laparoscopic therapy of gastric volvulus associated with hiatal hernia in the elderly patient]

Gastric volvulus is an abnormal rotation of one portion of the stomach around itself that may lead to gastric obstruction or an impairment of the vascular supply to the stomach leading to strangulation. This may present acutely or with chronic intermittent symptoms. Acute gastric volvulus is an emergency situation in which there is a closed loop obstruction and vascular compromise that requires urgent treatment. In the chronic type, unspecific abdominal pain is common. Chronic gastric volvulus must be treated to avoid complications, but there is not a standard treatment for this condition. Minimally invasion techniques, either endoscopic or laparoscopic offer the best option for treatment reducing morbidity and mortality rates. We report two cases of chronic gastric volvulus treated laparoscopically in the elderly.