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Colonic Volvulus

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CT Scan in Abdominal Emergency Surgery

Part of the book series: Hot Topics in Acute Care Surgery and Trauma ((HTACST))

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Abstract

This condition with its acute and recurring presentations has been described for thousands of years, as have the rudimentary therapies used. The first recording of volvulus dates to ancient Egypt, where it was noted on the Ebers Papyrus (ca. 1550 BC) the description of its natural course to be either spontaneous reduction or “rotting” of the intestines. In addition, some rudimentary techniques were described for the manipulation of the abdomen to stimulate its resolution. Hippocrates (about 400 BC) later noted in his “diseases” and “affections” that certain bowel obstructions, possibly caused by sigmoid volvulus, could be resolved and decompressed with the use of a long suppository ten digits long or ∼22 cm, injecting a large quantity of air into the intestines via the anus. To date, the modern proctoscopic decompression requires similar instrument length. It was later in the nineteenth century that this intervention was reexplored as a potential technique in clinical use.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bronson Methodist Hospital, Western Michigan University, 601 John Street, Box 67, Kalamazoo, MI, 49007, USA

    Julia Miladore Ng M.D., Haley Chang M.D. & Oreste M. Romeo M.D., F.A.C.S.

Authors
  1. Julia Miladore Ng M.D.
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  2. Haley Chang M.D.
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  3. Oreste M. Romeo M.D., F.A.C.S.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Oreste M. Romeo M.D., F.A.C.S. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Emergency and Trauma Surgery, Ospedale Maggiore di Parma Emergency and Trauma Surgery, Parma, Parma, Italy

    Fausto Catena

  2. Cambridge Colorectal Unit, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom

    Salomone Di Saverio

  3. General, Emergency and Trauma Surgery, Department Bufalini Hospital, Cesena, Italy

    Luca Ansaloni

  4. General, Emergency and Trauma Surgery Department, Bufalini Hospital, Cesena, Italy

    Federico Coccolini

  5. Department of Surgery, Macerata Hospital, Macerata, Italy

    Massimo Sartelli

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Ng, J.M., Chang, H., Romeo, O.M. (2018). Colonic Volvulus. In: Catena, F., Di Saverio, S., Ansaloni, L., Coccolini, F., Sartelli, M. (eds) CT Scan in Abdominal Emergency Surgery. Hot Topics in Acute Care Surgery and Trauma. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48347-4_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48347-4_14

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-48346-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-48347-4

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