Total small bowel volvulus complicating common incomplete mesentery, an exceptional complication in adults: About a case

Abstract

Total small bowel volvulus complicating common incomplete mesentery is an arrest of rotation of the primary intestinal loop at 180°. The root of the mesentery is very short and the whole small intestine is located on the superior mesenteric artery axis. Patients are at very high risk of small bowel volvulus and enteromesenteric infarction. Acute volvulus requires emergency surgery; imaging must not delay surgery. Surgery is based on the untwisting of the volvulus (counterclockwise) after the assessment of intestinal viability. The intestine placed in the complete common mesentery position: the coecum is situated in the right iliac region. We report the case of a 60-year old patient admitted with total small bowel volvulus on an incomplete common mesentery who underwent emergency surgery with favorable postoperative outcome.