Ileosigmoidal knotting, an unusual form of acute intestinal obstruction.

AIM: Ileosigmoidal knotting is an unusual form of acute intestinal obstruction characterized by closed-loop obstruction of both ileum and sigmoid colon. We present 36 cases of ileosigmoidal knotting.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was designed to examine preoperative, operative, and postoperative findings of the 36 patients with ileosigmoidal knotting who were surgically treated in Necmettin Erbakan University's Meram Medical Faculty (Konya, Turkey) throughout a 26-year period.

RESULTS

The mean age was 55 (range, 47-61) years. The most common symptoms were abdominal pain, distention, obstipation, and vomiting, and the most common signs were abdominal tenderness and distention. The preoperative diagnosis was acute obstructed bowel in all patients. After resuscitation, all patients underwent emergency laparotomy. The most common type of ileosigmoidal knotting was type IA, in which the active ileum encircled the passive sigmoid in a clockwise manner. There was gangrene in both ileum and sigmoid colon in all patients. All ischemic bowels including ileum and sigmoid colon were resected and the continuity was carried out using primary anastomosis or Hartmann's procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

Ileosigmoidal knotting is a rare disease but its preoperative diagnosis is difficult. In cases of knotting there is no form of conservative treatment. Resective surgery is absolutely necessary.