Sigmoid Volvulus in the Developing Countries: The Lack of Resources Might be a Blessing in Disguise

Abstract Background Sigmoid volvulus is the most common type of volvulus. Its epidemiological features as well as its management differ between developed and developing countries. Tis work aims to analyze the epidemiological features and to access the surgical management of sigmoid volvulus in Tunisia, which is a developing country from North Africa and where there is a paucity of information regarding sigmoid volvulus. Methods This is a retrospective review of 64 patients with sigmoid volvulus treated in the General Surgery department of Jendouba Hospital in Tunisia from January 2005 to December 2019. In the absence of endoscopic management, all patients underwent surgical treatment. Results: 64 patients were treated for acute sigmoid volvulus. There were 54 (84.4%) men with a male to female ratio of 5.4/1. The mean age was 62 years. The classic triad of abdominal pain, abdominal distention and constipation was reported in 56 (87.5%) patients. The mean duration of symptoms was 4.2 days. The accurate preoperative diagnosis was made in 58 (90.62%) cases. Forty patients (74%) had viable bowel obstruction and all of them had resection and primary anastomosis. Sixteen patients had gangrenous bowel obstruction of which 6 patients had resection-primary anastomosis and 10 had Hartmann’s procedure. Out of the total five deaths reported, there were only two among patients who had resection-primary anastomosis for gangrenous bowel obstruction. The commonest post-operative complication was surgical site infection in 5 cases (35.71%). The median length of hospital stay following surgery was 8 days (range 5 – 18 days). None of the patients had recurrences of volvulus after median follow up of 11 months. Conclusion Although Tunisia belongs to the volvulus belt, the epidemiologic features of sigmoid volvulus are not similar to those reported in the other African countries and tend rather to be similar to those of developed countries. Our results show that the absence of non-operative treatment can be tolerable and surgical management should be advocated as much as possible.