Sigmoid volvulus and concomitant clinical entities

Abstract

Sigmoid volvulus (SV) is common in elders. For this reason, most geriatric comorbidities accompany SV. Additionally, SV may associate with a great number of physiological or pathological entities. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the kind and the incidence of such comorbidities as well as to discuss their pathophysiology. To obtain all SV-related reports in worldwide data, an electronic search of the last 57-years’ literature (from 1967 to date) was made in Web of Science and PubMed databases by using ‘sigmoid volvulus’ heading. Additionally, we evaluated our results including 1,071 patients treated in 57-year period from June 1966 to July 2023. We noted comorbid entities in each case. Tens of physiological or pathological clinical entities may accompany SV. Some entities may be the cause or result of SV, while some others may mimic SV or mimicked by this disease. Moreover, some factors may predispose to SV, while some others may initiate it. Some of these comorbidities have cause and effect relations, while some others are coincidental. However, the relationship between SV and some comorbid entities as well as underlying pathologies are not clear enough.