Introduction: A volvulus is a serious surgical emergency caused by torsion or hyper-flexion of the bowel loop and its mesentery on a fixed point. Cecal volvulus is an uncommon cause of intestinal obstruction, accounting for just 1-1.5 % of all cases of bowel obstruction.
Case presentation: A 33-year-old intellectually disabled male presented to the emergency department with complaints of generalized abdominal pain, absolute constipation, and non-projectile vomiting. He had a grossly distended and rigid abdomen with generalized tenderness and guarding. The abdomen was hyper-resonant. Bowel sounds were hypoactive. Digital rectal examination revealed an empty and collapsed rectum with no stool staining of the finger. Laboratory reports showed leukocytosis and neutrophilia. Radiographic imaging was consistent with acute intestinal obstruction. Laparotomy was performed, and cecal volvulus with viable bowel and acute appendicitis was diagnosed intra-operatively. Manual detorsion, cecopexy, and appendectomy were performed. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course. The patient is still on follow-up since June 2023, and no complication has occurred.
Clinical discussion: Cecal volvulus is an uncommon cause of intestinal obstruction with multiple etiologies. The annual incidence of cecal volvulus is estimated to be between 2.8 and 7.1 cases per million. Cecal volvulus may lead to life-threatening complications such as bowel ischemia and perforation.
Conclusion: Diagnosis of cecal volvulus must be made promptly to prevent bowel gangrene and perforation. In this case, manual detorsion and cecopexy were performed as the bowel was viable per-operatively due to early surgical intervention.
Keywords: Acute appendicitis; Case report; Cecal volvulus; Cecopexy; Intestinal obstruction; Manual detorsion.
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