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Intestinal volvulus and right-sided blunt trauma: consequence or coincidence?

E C Penington1, W D Ford

  • 1Department of Paediatric Surgery, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, Australia.

Pediatric Surgery International
|June 26, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Blunt trauma can cause intestinal volvulus in children, leading to bile-stained vomiting. This condition may be linked to prior infant episodes, even if previously deemed normal.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric surgery
  • Gastrointestinal disorders
  • Trauma care

Background:

  • Intestinal volvulus is a rare but serious condition in children.
  • Bile-stained vomiting in infants can have various causes.
  • Traumatic injuries can precipitate intra-abdominal complications.

Observation:

  • Two boys presented with bile-stained vomiting after significant right-sided blunt trauma.
  • Both boys had sustained fractured right femurs.
  • Both patients were diagnosed with intestinal volvulus.

Findings:

  • The boys had a history of bile-stained vomiting in infancy.
  • These prior infant episodes were investigated and considered normal at the time.
  • Blunt trauma appears to be a precipitating factor for intestinal volvulus in these cases.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the importance of considering intestinal volvulus in children with bile-stained vomiting post-trauma.
  • Previous normal investigations for infantile bile-stained vomiting do not exclude later volvulus.
  • Further research into the link between trauma and pediatric intestinal volvulus is warranted.

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