Abstract
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Abstract
IJMS Journal Winter 20/2/04 3:47 pm Page 216 original paper Sigmoid volvulus: a 10-year-audit Sigmoid volvulus: a 10-year-audit S Connolly, AE Brannigan, E Heffernan, JMP Hyland Centre for Colorectal Disease, St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland Abstract Background Chronic constipation in elderly, institutionalised patients is the leading cause of sigmoid volvulus in the developed world. Endoscopic deflation is associated with a 90% recurrence rate and a 35% mortality rate. Aims To review a 10-year experience of sigmoid volvulus and encourage more aggressive primary treatment. Methods A retrospective study was performed on 16 patients with sigmoid volvulus from 1992 to 1999. Patients were identified using the hospital inpatient enquiry (HIPE) data system. Demographics, clinical course, intervention, complications and outcome were recorded. Results The male:female ratio was 5:3 and mean age was 78 years (range 39-92). Fifty per cent had at least one risk factor: Parkinson’s disease (n=3); multiple sclerosis (n=1); Alzheimer’s disease (n=1); and hypokalaemia (n=3). Thirty-seven per cent were managed conservatively and 63% required surgical intervention. Mean time to surgery was 2.4 days. Operations performed were sigmoid colectomy (45%), Hartmann’s procedure (33%) and total colectomy (22%). There was one post-operative death from myocardial ischaemia. Mean duration of admission was 21 days. Conclusions Endoscopic deflation of a sigmoid volvulus facilitates optimisation of cardiopulmonary co-morbidity in a highrisk group of patients. It converts an emergent to an elective procedure and minimises operative morbidity as a result. Introduction Sigmoid volvulus secondary to high dietary fibre is the most common cause of large bowel obstruction in the developing world,1 while chronic constipation among elderly, institutionalised patients is the leading cause of sigmoid volvulus in the developed world.2 Historically, the management of this condition has been conservative with surgical intervention reserved for patients failing endoscopic decompression. This largely reflected a mortality rate of approximately 15-30% among patients undergoing emergency laparotomy. Newer, less invasive techniques such as sigmoidopexy have been described but are not universally applied.3 We reviewed the management and outcome of patients presenting to one Irish institution with volvulus of the sigmoid colon over a 10-year period. Patients and methods Patients with a diagnosis of sigmoid volvulus were identified retrospectively using the HIPE system. All charts were analysed and data collected. Sixteen patients presented with previously undiagnosed sigmoid volvulus. The male:female sex ratio was 10:6 and the mean age was 78 years (range 39-92). Ten patients (66%) were resident in nursing homes, 3 (20%) lived alone and 2 (13%) lived in a family setting. Fifty per cent of patients had risk factors documented at the time of presentation. Three patients (19%) had Parkinsonism, one (6%) had multiple sclerosis and was on anticholinergic medication and one (6%) had Alzheimer’s disease. Three patients (19%) were hypokalaemic at presentation and one patient (6%) had a history of chronic constipation. Results Management All 16 patients had clinical findings consistent with large bowel 216 obstruction and suggestive of sigmoid volvulus. Patients and/or carers typically reported constipation, abdominal distension and colicky abdominal pain. All patients had an abdominal radiograph at the time of admission and, in four cases, a gastrograffin enema was performed. All 16 patients were catheterised and resuscitated with intravenous fluids. Ten patients underwent surgical intervention at a mean of 2.4 days and the diagnosis was confirmed intraoperatively. Of these 10 patients, four underwent an initial attempt at endoscopic decompression. This failed in three patients and in the case of the fourth patient initial success was followed by a recurrent volvulus requiring surgical intervention 15 days later. Antibiotic prophylaxis was administered at anaesthetic induction and at laparotomy the volvulus was reversed and the diseased segment resected with primary anastomosis in 66% of patients; sigmoid colectomy 45%, subtotal colectomy 22% and a Hartmann’s procedure was performed in the remaining 33% of patients. Subsequent histology supported the diagnosis of volvulus. Outcome Eighty per cent of patients were admitted to the intensive care unit postoperatively for a mean of 1.8 days. There was one perioperative death secondary to a myocardial infarction on the first post-operative day. Patients were discharged from hospital after a mean of 21 days. The mean follow-up is two years and there has been no evidence of recurrent disease in the surgically-treated group of patients. Discussion The elderly population is expected to grow in both absolute numbers and as a percentage of the overall population and 6.5% of the population will be over 80 years of age by 2010.4 Irish Journal of Medical Science • Volume 171 • Number 4 IJMS Journal Winter 20/2/04 3:47 pm Page 217 S Connolly et al Sigmoid volvulus is the third most common cause of large bowel obstruction and, in the Western world, generally occurs in elderly, institutionalised patients. Initial conservative treatment is associated with a recurrence rate of 45-90%. Recurrent volvulus requires surgical intervention and is associated with significant morbidity as it is often associated with a need for emergency surgery. The independent influence of age on surgical morbidity and mortality is controversial. Both generally increase with age but whether this is due to specific anaesthetic and surgical risks or reflects co-morbidity is difficult to determine. The timing of surgical intervention is critical among the elderly, as mortality for emergent procedures is significantly higher than for the same operation done on an elective basis.5 Historically, sigmoid volvulus was treated conservatively by sigmoidoscopic decompression, which is associated with a recurrence rate of up to 90%. Emergency operative mortality was historically reported at up to 35%.6 Over the last 10 years, the impact of aggressive resuscitation, correction of reversible medical problems combined with advances in anaesthesia have improved patient outcome. The conversion of an emergency procedure to an elective one has reduced the operative mortality rate to as low as 5%.7 Current literature suggests that elderly patients presenting with sigmoid volvulus should be aggressively resuscitated and undergo sigmoid endoscopic deflation, which allows correction of reversible cardiopulmonary conditions. Once medically optimised, patients who are fit for surgical correction may have a better outcome with elective surgery than with recurrent volvulus treated nonoperatively.7-9 Patients presenting with evidence of non-viable bowel confirmed at laparotomy have a poorer prognosis; however, in such cases, surgical resection with formation of a stoma may carry a better prognosis than primary anastomosis.10 In the absence of endoscopic evidence of necrosis and in the presence of healthy bowel at laparotomy, resection and primary anastomosis is preferable.11 Minimally invasive techniques such as endoscopic sigmoidopexy and laparoscopic-assisted sigmoidectomy have been reported in the literature and appear to be associated with minimal morbidity (although this is based on case reports only and has not been the subject of a randomised trial).3,12 With an ever-increasing geriatric population, the problem of Irish Journal of Medical Science • Volume 171 • Number 4 sigmoid volvulus is likely to become more common in the future. Advances in the anaesthetic management of elderly patients coupled with a mortality rate of up to 21% associated with recurrent sigmoid volvulus following conservative treatment may enhance the alternative option of definitive initial treatment of this condition following resuscitation.7 References 1. Keller A, Aeberhard P. Emergency resection and primary anastomosis for sigmoid volvulus in an African population. Int J Colorectal Dis 1990; 5: 209-12. 2. Jones DJ. ABC of colorectal disease: large bowel volvulus. BMJ 1992; 305: 358-60. 3. Choi D, Carter R. Endoscopic sigmoidopexy: a safer way to treat sigmoid volvulus? J R Coll Surg Edinb 1998; 43: 64 4. US Bureau of the Census. Current population reports: Projections of the population of the USA by age, sex and race 1988-2080. Series P-25, No 1080. US Department of Commerce, 1989. 5. Keller SM, Markovitz LJ, Wilder JR et al. Emergency and elective surgery in patients over age 70. Ann Surg 1987; 53: 636-40. 6. Khoury GA, Pickard R, Knight M. Volvulus of the sigmoid colon. Br J Surg 1977; 64 (8): 587-9. 7. Bak MP, Boley SJ. Sigmoid volvulus in elderly patients. Am J Surg 1986; 151 (1): 71-5. 8. Grossman EM, Longo WE, Stratton MD et al. Sigmoid volvulus in Department of Veterans Affairs medical centres. Dis Colon Rectum 2000; 43 (3): 414-8. 9. Le Neel JC, Farge A, Guiberteau B et al. Volvulus of the sigmoid colon. Ann Chir 1989; 43 (5): 348-51. 10. Bagarani M, Conde AS, Longo R et al. Sigmoid volvulus in west Africa: a prospective study on surgical treatment. Dis Colon Rectum 1993; 36 (2): 186-90. 11. Keller A, Aeberhard P. Emergency resection and primary anastomosis for sigmoid volvulus in an African population. Int J Colorectal Dis 1990; 5 (4): 209-12. 12. Chung RS. Colectomy for sigmoid volvulus. Dis Colon Rectum 1997; 40: 363-5. Correspondence to: Mr John Hyland, Tel: (01) 269 5033; fax: (01) 269 7949; email: [email protected] 217