Acute visceral obstruction

Gastric volvulus is a rare cause for acute visceral obstruction, with a high mortality rate that rises with delay in definitive treatment. A 33-year-old woman with a rare chromosomal mutation (46,XX,del(6)(q25.1q25.3)) presented with evidence of acute visceral obstruction. Diagnostic difficulties delayed treatment and she clinically deteriorated. Urgent CT imaging revealed acute mesentero-axial gastric volvulus. At laparotomy, global failure of colonic and splenic fixation was found. The viscera were de-rotated, the stomach salvaged and gastropexy and colopexy were performed. This is the first report of gastric volvulus secondary to congenital absence of colonic and splenic ligamentous attachments occurring in a patient over 30 years of age. This case is interesting not only due to unique pathology, but also highlights that general surgeons must be aware of the possibility of unusual causes for intestinal obstruction in patients with recognised genetic abnormalities, even in adult cases, to avoid harmful diagnostic delay.