An obstruction of the bowels produced by the twisting of a loop of bowel round itself. It can occur at any age but is most common in the newborn period or early infancy, when it is caused by an anomaly in the way the intestine and its suspending tissues are formed – intestinal MALROTATION. At some point the abnormally suspended gut twists on its own root (of intestine, blood vessels, nerves, supporting tissue etc.) The symptoms and signs are those of SHOCK coupled with intestinal OBSTRUCTION. Urgent surgery is required. (See also STRANGULATION; INTESTINE, DISEASES OF.)