How do you know if your baby has a twisted bowel?
A volvulus happens when the intestine becomes twisted. This causes an intestinal blockage. The most common symptoms are vomiting bile, stomach pain, diarrhea or constipation, and bloody stools.
What age does volvulus present?
This condition can occur at any age. However, it is more frequent in children and infants[1].
How common is volvulus in babies?
This type is very uncommon in children. Volvulus can occur in almost any part of the guts and is usually due to an underlying problem or abnormality in that part of the gut. Malrotation occurs quite commonly (about 1 in 500 births) but in most cases does not lead to volvulus.
How do I know if my baby has intestinal blockage?
Symptoms also can include:
- a swollen belly.
- vomiting.
- vomiting up bile, a bitter-tasting yellowish-green fluid.
- passing stools (poop) mixed with blood and mucus, known as currant jelly stool.
- grunting due to pain.
What is difference between torsion and volvulus?
Intestinal torsion describes the twisting of the bowel on its longitudinal axis, causing luminal obstruction, whilst intestinal volvulus describes a rotation about the mesenteric axis. Both may occur concurrently.
How is volvulus diagnosed?
In testing for volvulus, the following tests may be performed: A stool sample test finds blood in the stool. An upper GI X-ray with small bowel follow-through shows a malrotated bowel or midgut volvulus. A CT scan may show evidence of intestinal obstruction.
How do you test for volvulus?
An X-ray of the abdomen may show that the large intestine is not in the normal location. Flexible sigmoidoscopy. This test, usually only done for volvulus, looks at the lower part of the GI tract, rectum, and colon. It can be used to diagnose the volvulus.
Can a baby still poop with a bowel obstruction?
If the blockage is complete, the individual will not pass any gas or feces. If the blockage is only partial, however, diarrhea can occur.
What are the symptoms of stomach infection in babies?
If your child has the stomach flu, they may have hard-to-miss signs and symptoms like:
- diarrhea (usually watery and sometimes explosive)
- stomach pain and cramps.
- fever (usually mild and sometimes nonexistent)
- chills.
- nausea.
- vomiting.
- poor appetite.
- headache pain.
Can a twisted stomach untwist itself?
A volvulus needs prompt treatment and usually requires surgery. During surgery to correct a volvulus, a doctor will make a small incision in the abdominal wall near the site of the twisted part of the intestine and untwist it. Afterward, the doctor will restore blood flow to the areas affected by the volvulus.
How do you rule out volvulus?
The gold standard to diagnose volvulus is an upper GI series, a procedure performed to examine the stomach and first portion of the intestine.