Twisted bowel

[ickle999]

How does a bowel become twisted and will it untwist if left untreated?

[Buenchico]

A bit of web-searching suggests that 'malrotation' is due to poor foetal development. The symptoms may then present themselves in childhood, in adulthood or not at all. See here
http://www.ich.ucl.ac.uk/gosh_families/informa tion_sheets/malrotation_volvulus/malrotation_v olvulus_families.html
and here:
http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40000404/

Those links suggest that the problem cannot remedy itself. In older patients (where the condition has been discovered but is not causing any significant symptoms) non-surgical management might be considered. However surgery is usually the preferred option, using the 'Ladd procedure' (which is described particularly well in the first link above).

Chris

PS: There's plenty of 'weird and wacky' information about medical conditions available on the internet. I've taken care to link only to reputable sources of information, which seem to concur on both the cause and treatment of this problem.

[Ethel]

Bowels can become twisted in many different ways - the bowel is enormously long and looped in quite a small space really. Matter passes through, sometimes causing a temporary blockage, add a bit of gas and things start moving.. Think of your telephone cord and how easily that becomes twisted.

Excellent information here, although it is a bit alarming:

http://www.privatehealth.co.uk/private-operati ons/general-surgery/small-bowel-resection/

Often a simple twisted bowel sorts itself out but you really should see a GP.

[sqad617]

A "twisted" bowel is ALWAYS a medical emergency. The commonest causes are strangulated hernia,adhesions from previous operations and other rarer disorders. There is a difference between a blocked bowel and a "twisted" bowel. Symptoms are severe colicky pain, vomiting, and a distended stomach, requiring immedite surgery. Ver occasionally a twisted bowel MAYuntwist itself. Neo natal mal-rotation presents at chidbirth and is extremely uncommon.

[ickle999]

Thanks for that everyone.I've seen my GP and am trying several remedies to ease bowel movements but not much is working.Just wondered if anyone else has experienced the same.