OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical profile of @entity1 with @entity3313 and highlight the diagnostic difficulties and pitfalls. METHODS: This was a retrospective descriptive study of @entity1 with @entity3313 seen at a community hospital over a 5-year period from July 1999 to July 2004. RESULTS: Twenty-eight cases of @entity3313 were identified, of which 16 were male and 12 female. The median age was 74 years. Twenty-seven were Chinese and one was Malay. Seven out of 28 @entity1 were from nursing institutes while the rest came from their own homes. Eleven were bedridden and chronic @entity1142 was a problem for 17 @entity1 . Co-existing medical illnesses, including @entity146 , were common. @entity1661 and @entity158 were the most frequent presentations (26 and 21 @entity1 , respectively). Twelve @entity1 had @entity1142 and 11 had @entity294 . Only nine had the complete typical @entity1661 , @entity158 and @entity1142 . The classical coffee-bean sign was identified in nine out of 26 initial plain abdominal radiographs done at the emergency department and a further 11 were diagnosed after review by the surgical team in the ward. Another four were identified only after computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis. The remaining two @entity1 were diagnosed intra-operatively after they underwent emergency laparotomy. CONCLUSIONS: As our aged population continues to grow, @entity3313 may be more commonly encountered. Emergency physicians should maintain a high index of suspicion and avoid the pitfalls so as to prevent delay in diagnosis and treatment.

Sigmoid XXXX : diagnostic twists and turns.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity3313 :: ('MESH:D045822', 'Disease') :: ['sigmoid volvulus'] @entity146 :: ('MESH:D001523', 'Disease') :: ['neuropsychiatric conditions'] @entity294 :: ('MESH:D003967', 'Disease') :: ['diarrhoea'] @entity1661 :: ('MESH:D000008', 'Disease') :: ['triad of abdominal distension', 'Abdominal distension'] @entity158 :: ('MESH:D010146', 'Disease') :: ['pain'] @entity1142 :: ('MESH:D003248', 'Disease') :: ['constipation']
@entity3313 :: (MESH:D045822,Disease) :: ['volvulus']
