Seasonality of Primary Small Bowel Volvulus and Its Variations Based on Sex and Place of Residence, North Western Ethiopia.

Abstract

BackgroundPrimary small bowel volvulus is a common surgical emergency in some parts of the globe. Its seasonal nature has not been widely researched. The main objective of this study was to assess its underlying patterns among different gender and geographical location.Materials and methodsA hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to February 2021 at two comprehensive specialized hospitals in North West Ethiopia. The monthly count of primary small bowel volvulus was analyzed for patterns using Minitab 18. Graphical techniques such as run sequence plots, multiple box plots, and correlogram were used. Additive decomposition was also done. The degree of seasonal variation was measured in terms of seasonal indices generated for each month. A chi-square goodness-of-fit test at p < 0.05 was applied to determine statistical significance.ResultsA total of 235 patients were found to have surgically confirmed diagnosis of primary small bowel volvulus over six years. Most were males (77.4%) and from rural residence (73.2%). The mean age in years was 40.5 (±16.7). Overall, 179 (76.2%) of the total cases, 148 (81.3%) of males, and 138 (80.2%) of rural cases were admitted during June through November.ConclusionSeasonal variation was found to be a feature of primary small bowel volvulus. Knowing its seasonal nature helps raise the threshold of suspicion among health care providers to pass timely clinical decisions particularly in resource-limited setups.