In spite of a dramatic x-ray no operation is needed!
A middle-aged patient in great need came to Dr. Ilse Schütze during her consultation hours. The diagnosis: a drum belly (Trommelbauch). The belly was so inflated, that it a mere hand could not compress it. The patient said he had no defecation since 2 weeks. Visiting-surgeon Samuel DeJesus, from the US, studied the x-ray musingly (nachdenktich – kleiner Schreibfehler im Deutschen – danke, dass Du meine im Englischen korrigierst!). The most probable reason was a Volvulus: a twisted intestinal loop. An operation seemed to be unavoidable.
The doctor wanted to give the man a “conservative” chance and performed a colonoscopy. Its success followed almost immediately. All the pent-up air and an impressive amount of excrement emptied themselves out of the large intestine. Assistant-doctor Michael Kühling needed quite a while to clean up the room.
On the following day a slim and thankful patient stood next to the internist. His belly was flat, as if nothing had happened. No wonder that the patient was beaming.
