[Laparoscopic treatment of acute gastric volvulus]

Gastric volvulus is an uncommon clinical condition and is associated with type ii-iii hiatal hernias. Its acute presentation constitutes a surgical emergency. Despite its low frequency, results of laparoscopic treatment have already been published.

A retrospective study was performed on all cases diagnosed with gastric volvulus undergoing laparoscopic surgery between 1998 and 2010. The surgical technique, the post-operative outcome, and the clinical follow-up are described.

A total of 10 cases were identified, one was a primary gastric volvulus, and the remainder were secondary. A laparoscopic anterior gastropexy as the sole procedure was performed on 7 patients. A Nissen fundoplication with mesh reinforcement of the crural closure was performed on the 3 remaining cases. Postoperative outcome was uneventful in 9 patients, with an early start of the diet, and hospital discharge between 48-72 h. After a mean follow-up period of 18 months, radiological hernia recurrence occurred in one case but recurrence of the volvulus was not observed.

Laparoscopic anterior gastropexy is, in our experience, an effective and safe procedure with a low morbidity, for the treatment of acute gastric volvulus in patients with high surgical risk.