Chronic Gastric Volvulus as a Late Complication of Hepatectomy for Hepatoblastoma in a Child: A Case Report

Abstract

Gastric volvulus (GV) is an uncommon pathology, with 10-20% of cases occurring in children, typically before one year of age. It often occurs in people with congenital diaphragmatic hernias, intestinal malrotation, eventration of the diaphragm, paraesophageal hernias, wandering spleens, asplenism, or intra-abdominal adhesions. We report a rare case of chronic GV after left hemihepatectomy for hepatoblastoma in a child. The patient was a 9-year-old boy who complained of upper abdominal pain and postprandial upper abdominal distension for one year. At the age of 4 months, he was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma and had undergone left hemihepatectomy. The upper gastrointestinal contrast study revealed chronic organoaxial gastric volvulus. After a surgical procedure involving adhesiolysis and an anterior wall gastropexy, the patient improved and the symptoms resolved. Although GV is a rare disease, it should be suspected in a patient with a previous abdominal surgical history who is complaining of abdominal distension and pain.