Intestinal Occlusion due to Volvulus in the Elderly

Abstract

Introduction: Older adults with a diagnosis of intestinal occlusion due to volvulus could have an unfavorable evolution and the Cuban population, getting older every day, needs a differentiated attention.

Objective: To determine the behavior of intestinal occlusion due to volvulus in the elderly from January 2018 to August 2023.

Methods: An observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with the application of odds ratio calculation to determine the risk ratio to patients who underwent surgery for intestinal occlusion due to volvulus. The data were obtained from medical records and interviews, while the analyzed variables were age, sex, surgical time, complications, behavior and evolution according to ASA classification.

Results: The most affected sex was female; this circumstance for age, between 60 and 74 years and for location, the sigmoid colon. Surgical time was two hours. A representative number of cases did not present any complications and, when classified, they were group I according to the classification of the American Society of Anesthesiology.

Conclusions: Colon volvulus occurred more frequently at the sigmoid level. Age did not play a decisive role and prolonged surgical time was associated with the appearance of complication; while patients classified as ASA, I presented the best

outcomes.