Double beak sign

Last revised by Andrea Molinari on 19 Feb 2024

The double beak sign refers to the sudden tapering that two adjacent intestinal loops show in the internal hernia at the transition point of the closed loop obstruction.
The marked reduction in caliber results in distension of the afferent and efferent intestinal loops.

History and etymology

It was first described in 1992 by Balthazar 1, but it was not until Millet 2 that the term "double beak sign" began to be used.

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