title: A case of cecal volvulus mimicking Ogilvie Syndrome in a hospitalized patient with a pelvis fracture.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cecal volvulus and ogilvie syndrome are two entities which may display similar clinical presentation but require different treatment approaches.
  
  
  METHODS
  An 84-year old male patient admitted for conservative treatment of a pelvis fracture, complained of abdominal cramps and flatulence on the third hospitalization day. Abdominal radiographs arose suspicion of cecal volvulus. The diagnosis was ruled out on the CT scan but however was later confirmed by an exploratory laparotomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The management of cecal volvulus requires prompt (emergency) surgical intervention while Ogilvie syndrome can be principally managed with conservative treatment. Our patient's profile was typical for both entities. The absence of air throughout all colonic segments including the rectosigmoid on plain abdominal radiographs seems to be the most important sign in the exclusion of the Ogilvie syndrome diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cecal volvulus and Ogilvie syndrome display overlapping clinical features at their time of presentation and need to be carefully distinguished. By uncertainty, an exploratory laparotomy should always be performed, in view of the reported high mortality rate of cecal volvulus if surgery is delayed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tampakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Raoul A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Droeser
authors.affiliation: Laiko General Hospital, Athens University School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ekaterini Christina
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Tampaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Indiana University School of Medicine South Bend, Indiana University Health Goshen Center for Cancer Care, Goshen, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: von Holzen
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Tarik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Delko
keywords: Exploratory laparotomy; Neostigmin; Ogilvie syndrome; Volvulus