Small bowel volvulus in a primigravida woman: Case report

Volvulus of the small bowel, although being rare, carries a high risk of strangulation and ischemic necrosis. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult and may be complicated by pregnancy, labor and the post-cesarean-section state. Delay in diagnosis and surgical intervention increases morbidity and mortality rates.We present a 20- year- old primigravida woman (GA=10 weeks) with massive intestinal necrosis. Her initial symptoms were abdominal pain and nausea. Her complaints were attributed to pregnancy and she came with acute surgical abdomen. Emergent laparotomy was performed. Gangrenous, distended loops of small intestine passed through a defect in the mesentery were resected. Primary end to end anastomosis of jejunum and ileum was done and the defect causing volvulus was repaired. It is concluded that surgical acute abdomen must be considered in differential diagnosis of abdominal discomfort in pregnancy. In the case of small bowel volvulus early surgery is mandatory to reduce the risk of gangrene, which is known as doubling the mortality rate.