Sometimes, people have recurrent, chronic symptoms before an acute torsion occurs.
An acute blockage or twist in the bowel is a medical emergency that usually requires surgery.
During this time, the intestines are anchored to the abdominal wall by the mesentery.
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This allows the cecum to move freely (mobile cecum syndrome).
Sometimes the condition is diagnosed during surgery or on a radiology film.
Many people would never realize they had a moveable cecum because they don’t experience any symptoms or problems.
Other factors, such as a high-fiber diet, may also play a role.
Eventually, they can culminate with an acuteand potentially seriousbowel obstruction.
Many people develop an acute obstruction without having symptoms suggestive of a partial obstruction beforehand.
The symptoms resemble many other gastrointestinal conditions, which can make diagnosis difficult.
Therefore, a diagnosis of cecal volvulus may be missed or delayed.
When part of the intestine becomes twisted, the portion above the section continues to function.
When the bowel twists, its blood supply is cut off.
As the pattern continues, symptoms may slowly get worse as the bowel loses its ability to function correctly.
People may also experience worsening health related to malnutrition and malabsorption.
Intestinal malrotation can also present in newbornsusually within the first month after birth.
Cases that occur later in life seem to occur equally between males and females.
As mentioned above, having a mobile cecum is a known predisposing factor in some cases.
In fact, many cases are only noticed after a person has died and an autopsy is performed.
When the condition becomes acute, several types of imaging tests can be used to determine the cause.
This can help healthcare providers see where the obstruction is and figure out what might be causing it.
There are several surgical procedures that can be performed to treat cecal volvulus.
A surgeon will choose the procedure they believe will have the best outcomes and lowest risk for each individual.
If this is successful, the stoma can be closed.
The surgeon will usually make a run at perform these procedures using minimally-invasive techniques such as laparoscopy.
In some cases, a healthcare provider may want to try more conservative treatment before surgery.
Non-surgical options for attempting to treat cecal volvulus include the decompression of the bowel via colonoscopy.
Cecal volvulus is not a common condition and surgeons may only see a few cases in their careers.
Therefore, there are no definitive guidelines or treatment recommendations for all cases.
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