ABSTRACT
Volvulus was managed by an injection of a large quantity of air through the anus along with placement of a suppository to assist with detorsion of the bowel. It was not until 1841 when the first description of volvulus was documented in Western medical literature. Colonic volvulus is the third leading cause of bowel obstruction worldwide. Populations most affected live in Africa, the Middle East, India, and Russia, which together are known as the “volvulus belt.” For complicated forms of volvulus, the management is straightforward, based on severity, consisting of laparotomy and resection of the necrotic segment. One of the only publications to address the care of colonic volvulus in the United States evaluated a nationwide inpatient sample from 2002–2010 retrospectively for admitted colonic volvulus cases. Anastomotic complications were similar between sigmoid and cecal volvulus, indicating that the anatomic location may not play as significant a role as previously thought.
