What are the symptoms of volvulus in infants?
If your baby has volvulus, your baby may seem fussy at first but can get very sick quickly. Symptoms include:
- Belly pain.
- Green vomit.
- A swollen belly.
- No stools, or bloody stools.
How is volvulus treated in infants?
Volvulus is treated with surgery. The doctor untwists the intestine and removes any part of it that has died. The healthy ends of the intestine are sewn back together. In some cases a second surgery is needed within 1 or 2 days.
Your baby will probably be in the hospital for several days after the surgery.
How is a twisted bowel treated?
Doctors have several options for treating a bowel obstruction caused by twisting of the intestine (volvulus). The choice of procedure depends on the location of the obstruction.
If the obstruction is caused by a twisting of the sigmoid area of the large intestine, a doctor may try to straighten out the twisting segment with lighted instruments (such as a proctoscope or sigmoidoscope) or a barium enema. But surgery is sometimes needed to fix twisting of the intestine.
Surgery is recommended for twisting of the cecum of the large intestine. Doctors may try several treatments. The blocked section can be removed and the ends reattached. In another type of surgery, the cecum can be attached to the abdominal (belly) wall so that it won't twist (cecopexy). A third option is to place a tube into the cecum (cecostomy) through a small incision in the abdomen. This procedure often is done for people who are not strong enough to have the other surgeries.
What is volvulus in infants?
Volvulus is a twisting of the intestine. It can happen in a baby when the intestine isn't in the right place (malrotation) in the belly.
Volvulus is an emergency. The twisting of the intestine can cut off blood flow and lead to death of the tissue. It can make your baby very sick, very quickly. Your baby will need surgery right away.
©2011-2024 Healthwise, Incorporated