Case report

An unusual complication following radiological percutaneous gastrostomy

Tonny Veenith^1*, Manasi Bhagwat¹ and Andrew Bailey²

• * Corresponding author: Tonny Veenith tonny.veenith@doctors.org.uk

Author Affiliations

¹ Specialist Registrar, Department of Neurocritical Care Medicine, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, UK

² Consultant in Anaesthesia, Addenbrookes Hospital Cambridge, UK

For all author emails, please log on.

International Archives of Medicine 2008, 1:15 doi:10.1186/1755-7682-1-15

Published: 12 August 2008

Abstract

Introduction

Intestinal malrotation is a condition, which is predominantly recognised in childhood. Because of the relative rarity, there is a possibility that it can be missed in the routine clinical care of adults. This case highlights the need for a high index of suspicion for malrotation when things go wrong in routine procedures. This can be the reason for catastrophic sepsis in patients who undergo minimally invasive procedures.

Case presentation

We present a patient with a malignant lesion of the tongue who went for elective placement of feeding tube who suffered unexpected complication as a result of malrotated large bowel.

Conclusion

Malrotation of the intestine can make a relatively straightforward procedure fraught with complications. Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion about malrotation when performing procedures like percutaneous gastrostomy and radiologically guided entrostomy. If there is an index of suspicion they should be screened prior to the procedure.