Acute gastric volvulus: an uncommon complication of a hiatus hernia.

An 80-year-old male patient with a history of a hiatus hernia presented with acute abdominal pain and vomiting. CT of his abdomen revealed extraluminal free gas consistent with a perforation. He had a large hiatus hernia. The subdiaphragmatic portion of the stomach was distended and adopted a more transverse lie. The radiological findings were in keeping with acute gastric volvulus with secondary ischaemic complications. Acute gastric volvulus is an abnormal rotation of the stomach resulting in complete obstruction. It is a surgical emergency and does not always present in its classical form. Clinicians should be mindful of this diagnosis in patients presenting with an acute surgical abdomen, especially if the presentation is non-specific, as delays in diagnosis are associated with significant morbidity and mortality.