Acute gastric volvulus secondary to H-type tracheo-oesophageal fistula.

ABSTRACT

H-type tracheo-oesophageal fistula is an uncommon type of tracheo-oesophageal malformation. Acute gastric volvulus is another infrequent pathology in children. They rarely present together.We report the case of a toddler with acute gastric volvulus possibly secondary to an undiagnosed H-type tracheo-oesophageal fistula. The fistula was suspected due to persistent gastric distention observed during volvulus detorsion. This kind of tracheo-oesophageal fistula often presents with subtle symptoms making early diagnosis difficult.Acute gastric volvulus is a life-threatening condition. Gastric distension caused by the passage of air into the stomach through the fistula could be a triggering factor for gastric volvulus.