Ileosigmoid knot in a patient with Down syndrome: a unique surgical emergency

Abstract

The ileosigmoid knot (ISK) or double ileosigmoid volvulus is a wrapping of the small intestine around the base of the sigmoid colon. We report an unusual case in the digestive surgery department of the Ibn Tofail Hospital of CHU Mohammed VI Marrakech of a 28-year-old man with Down's syndrome who presented with symptoms and signs of intestinal obstruction. Abdominal CT scan revealed a whirl sing and significant distension of the sigmoid loop. Exploratory laparotomy revealed ISK resulting in gangrene of ileum and sigmoid colon. The surgical procedure was a necrotic digestive segments resection, with a double-barrelled ileostomy and a Hartmann procedure. One month afterwards, the patient was operated on to reestablish of the continuity. Through this observation and a review of the literature we define the diagnostic, therapeutic and prognosis aspects of this rare clinical entity.