Surgical Abdominal Emergencies among Patients with Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report and Review Article

Surgical abdominal emergencies among patients with cerebral palsy (CP) are infrequently reported. The most commonly reported reason for urgent and emergent abdominal surgery among patients with CP is intestinal volvulus. Intestinal volvulus leads to obstruction and vascular compromise, potentially resulting in life-threatening ischemia and necrosis. Volvulus typically presents with abdominal pain and decreased bowel function. When patients are nonverbal and have baseline bowel dysfunction, symptoms of volvulus can be difficult to diagnose. Here, we present a case of an adult female patient with CP who presented with ischemic colitis with perforation and underwent emergency total colectomy and end-ileostomy. Her postoperative course was complicated by two episodes of intestinal volvulus that occurred one and three months after the initial operation. At the second presentation, she had global bowel ischemia due to the volvulus, which led to her death. We have reviewed and summarized the current literature regarding abdominal emergencies among patients with CP.