Treatment
Medical stabilization of gastric torsion treatment should be the top priority. This involves administering shock rate fluids and decompressing the stomach through gentle use of nasogastric tubes; keeping upright is best as you will need to carefully insert and decompress these tubes over time to help decompress your stomach. When done so properly you should also resuscitate regularly while checking for complications, particularly sepsis – an infection caused by dead tissue caused by twisting stomach.
Twisted stomachs will block both food and air from entering or exiting their bodies through either their esophagus or duodenum, preventing both foods and air from coming or going into their system. When this occurs, involuntary retching known as nonproductive retching occurs due to blocked flow of food, fluids, and air through their stomach – an indication of distention and rotation within this organ.
Surgical intervention is one of the best ways to lower morbidity and mortality associated with GDV. Once GDV is diagnosed, a surgeon will conduct an assessment of both stomach and spleen for irreversible vascular compromise, necrotic areas along the greater curvature being removed if necrotic along greater curvature necrosis is confirmed; otherwise the entire organ would likely need to be extracted as well as potentially involved spleens.
For patients at risk of GDV recurrence, surgeons will perform gastropexy. This procedure involves making a small incision in the abdominal wall and creating an anchor between stomach and abdomen to help prevent further volvulus episodes. While not as effective in terms of prevention as surgical intervention, gastropexy may serve as an adjunct therapy in cases with chronic or intermittent volvulus episodes.
Conservative treatments have proven to be successful for older people suffering from acute GDV. These include keeping upright, decompressing the stomach with nasogastric insertion and regular patient evaluations. For high-risk elderly patients, endoscopic reduction of hernias and attaching stomachs directly to abdominal wall can also reduce GDV risk; alternatively a percutaneous gastrostomy tube could be used as an interim measure prior to major surgery being scheduled.
