Mobile Colon – A Developmental Anomaly of the Large Intestine

Introduction: Mobile Colon is a subtle developmental anomaly, which is due to the failure of the process of peritoneal zygosis. The incidence of this anomaly is estimated to be 10-15% of the population. Evidence Acquisition: During routine cadaveric dissection of the abdomen in the Department of Anatomy, collective anomalies of the caecum, ascending colon and descending colon were found. In these collective anomalies cecum, ascending and descending colon instead of normally being retroperitoneal were suspended from the posterior abdominal wall by a fold of peritoneum called the mesentery. Mobile colon is an uncommon anomaly, which is being reported here. Clinical Implications: Mobile colon is usually asymptomatic but whenever it becomes symptomatic, it leads to mobile colon syndrome. Clinical symptoms associated with mobile colon syndrome mimic other common gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, malignancy, appendicitis and volvulus. Complications of this syndrome include intestinal obstruction, torsion of the intestine and gangrenous bowel which needs immediate treatment. Conclusion: Mobile colon syndrome should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic abdominal pain of obscure cause. Laparoscopic colopexy and cecopexy are recommended as therapeutic and diagnostic treatments.