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Intussusception of the bowel in adults: a review

Athanasios Marinis1, Anneza Yiallourou, Lazaros Samanides

  • 1Second Department of Surgery, Areteion University Hospital, Athens Medical School, University of Athens, 76 Vassilisis Sofia's Ave., 11528, Athens, Greece. drmarinis@gmail.com

World Journal of Gastroenterology
|January 20, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Adult bowel intussusception is rare, often caused by lesions, and diagnosed via CT scans. Surgical intervention is the standard treatment, with resection for suspected malignancy and reduction for benign cases.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Surgical Oncology

Background:

  • Intussusception, the telescoping of a bowel segment, is common in children but rare in adults (5% of cases).
  • Adult intussusception can be idiopathic (8-20%) or secondary to various lesions like tumors, adhesions, or iatrogenic causes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the diagnosis and management of adult bowel intussusception.
  • To highlight the role of computed tomography (CT) in diagnosis and surgical strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Review of literature on adult intussusception.
  • Emphasis on diagnostic imaging (CT) and surgical treatment principles.

Main Results:

  • Computed tomography is the most sensitive diagnostic tool, differentiating between intussusceptions with and without a lead point.
  • Surgery is the definitive treatment; bowel resection is standard for suspected malignancy, while reduction may be considered for benign lesions.

Conclusions:

  • Adult intussusception requires prompt diagnosis and surgical management.
  • Treatment strategies are tailored based on the presence of a lead point and suspected etiology, prioritizing oncological principles when malignancy is a concern.

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