Radiology Case Reports (Mar 2023)

Spontaneous transverse colon volvulus in a patient with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: An unreported complication

  • Pietro Pitrone, MD,
  • Antonino Cattafi, MD,
  • Francesca Magnani, MD,
  • Maria Ludovica Carerj, MD,
  • Italo Giuseppe Bellone, MD,
  • Giuseppe Nirta, MD,
  • Enrico Monsù, MD,
  • Dora Bonanno, MD,
  • Renato Trimarchi, MD,
  • Alessandro La Face, MD,
  • Maria Adele Marino, MD,
  • Carmelo Sofia, MD

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 3
pp. 1306 – 1310

Abstract

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A 22-year-old male patient with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and chronic constipation presents to the emergency room with severe abdominal pain and hive closed to feces and gas. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen demonstrates mechanical ileus due to volvulus of the transverse colon: torsion of the transverse mesocolon is confirmed and subtotaly colectomy is performed, revealing multiple ischemic areas with focal perforations. DMD is frequently associated with gastrointestinal motility disorders, including chronic constipation and life-threatening conditions like intestinal pseudo-obstruction and sigmoid volvulus. To date, transverse colic localization of volvolus represents an unreported condition among patients with DMD.

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