• Jun Seok Park, Seong Jae Cha, Beom Gyu Kim, Yong Seok Kim, Yoo Shin Choi, In Taik Chang, Gwang Jun Kim, Woo Seok Lee, and Gi Hyeon Kim.
• Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, 224-1 Heukseok-Dong, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul 156-755, Korea.
• World J Gastroentero. 2008 Mar 7; 14 (9): 1456-8.

AbstractFetal midgut volvulus is quite rare, and most cases are associated with abnormalities of intestinal rotation or fixation. We report a case of midgut volvulus without malrotation, associated with a meconium pellet, during the gestation period. This 2.79 kg, 33-wk infant was born via a spontaneous vaginal delivery caused by preterm labor. Prenatal ultrasound showed dilated bowel loops with the appearance of a 'coffee bean sign'. This patient had an unusual presentation with a distended abdomen showing skin discoloration. An emergency laparotomy revealed a midgut volvulus and a twisted small bowel, caused by complicated meconium ileus. Such nonspecific prenatal radiological signs and a low index of suspicion of a volvulus during gestation might delay appropriate surgical management and result in ischemic necrosis of the bowel. Preterm labor, specific prenatal sonographic findings (for example, the coffee bean sign) and bluish discoloration of the abdominal wall could suggest intrauterine midgut volvulus requiring prompt surgical intervention.

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