Endoscopic treatment of acute gastric volvulus causing cardiac tamponade.

Acute gastric volvulus occurs when the stomach, or part of the stomach, rotates more than 180 degrees, creating a closed-loop obstruction, which eventually leads to ischemia and strangulation. Acute gastric volvulus may occur in association with a diaphragmatic defect, diaphragmatic elevation of any cause, tumors of the pancreas and stomach, trauma, and congenital abnormalities of mesenteric fixation. We describe an unusual case of an acute gastric volvulus causing cardiac tamponade, which was successfully treated by endoscopic reduction of the gastric volvulus.