[Gastric volvulus in childhood]

Gastric volvulus in children might be observed both as an acute form, characterized by gastric necrosis with sudden perforation and patient's death and as an idiopathic or chronic form with a less severe insurgence that causes epigastric pain, vomit and gastric distension. The latter could resolve spontaneously but recurs frequently. The acute form rises in newborns and toddlers and is often associated with a diaphragmatic defect; the idiopathic forms are correlated on the opposite to a fixation deficit of the stomach which is held in place by the gastro-colic, gastro-hepatic, gastro phrenic and gastro-splenic ligaments. Since a diagnostic mistake could cause the patient's death gastric volvulus must be carefully considered as a possible cause of acute epigastric pain with vomit. In the two forms surgical therapy is mandatory for the simultaneous correction of both the anatomical defects of gastric fixation and malposition and the diaphragmatic ones. The case presented is an example of an acute gastric volvulus in a 2-year-old male child affected by a diaphragmatic defect The peculiar aspect of this case consists in the age of arousal being more usual in an earlier age An appropriate surgical treatment has permitted the patient's recovery.