A Symptomatic Coffee Bean: Acute Sigmoid Volvulus

Abstract

An acute sigmoid volvulus is due to the torsion of the sigmoid colon around its mesenteric axis. It mainly occurs in elderly patients and represents an abdominal emergency requiring urgent treatment. A 53-year-old male patient with severe craniocerebral injury and traumatic subarachnoidal bleeding 3 weeks prior presented on the ward with distended abdomen without abdominal pain, muscular defense, or resistances. He featured large volume diarrhea within the last few hours without signs of bleeding. A plain abdominal X-ray demonstrated a coffee bean sign indicating a sigmoid volvulus. A consequent CT scan of the abdomen revealed a deep outlet obstruction with massively dilated, elongated and twisted loop of the sigmoid colon and no signs of perforation. We performed emergency colonoscopy under the assumption of an acute sigmoid volvulus. After careful insertion of the endoscope completely refraining from insufflation of air or CO2, endoscopic reposition of the sigma could be achieved and a colonic drainage was placed over an inserted guide wire up to the proximal transverse colon. No relapse occurred and a diagnostic colonoscopy after 4 weeks revealed no tumor or polyps. Our report describes a classic case of acute sigmoid volvulus and undermines the potential of colonoscopy as conservative primary treatment of choice.