[Ileum inflammatory fibroid polyp revealed by intussusception. About one familial case]

Acute ileum intussusception is a frequent and mostly benign condition in childhood. Conversely, it is a rare condition during adulthood and generally associated with an underlying malignancy. We report a familial form of benign inflammatory fibroid polyps, revealed by an acute ileum intussusception.

A 41-year-old man, whose mother had undergone three surgical procedures for acute ileum intussusception associated with inflammatory fibroid polyp, was admitted for a abdominal pain that started three month ago. The patient displayed alteration of the intestinal transit, weight loss and sub-occlusive syndrome. Upper and lower endoscopies, performed before admission, were normal. In the emergency room, the abdominal computed tomography-scan revealed an acute intussusception of the last loop of the small intestine, probably caused by a tumor and leading to an occlusive syndrome. Surgical resection and histological analysis concluded to an inflammatory fibroid polyp. Clinical outcome was excellent.

Inflammatory fibroid polyp is always a benign tumor. It is usually isolated, expressing itself mainly in the form of an acute intussusception when located in the small bowel. The familial form presented here is exceptional and illustrates the possibility of an inherited transmission of this disease. However the pathogenesis of this type of polyp is still unclear.