Retrograde intussusception 5 years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity

Small bowel obstruction secondary to intussusception is a rare but important consequence of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).

A 37-year old female presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain. She had undergone RYGB 5-years previously for obesity. CT revealed a retrograde jejuno-jejunal intussusception. The intussusceptum was the common jejunal channel and the intussuscepiens was the jejunojejunostomy resulting in obstruction of both the alimentary and biliary limbs. The patient underwent laparotomy, small bowel resection and refashioning of the jejunojejunal anastamosis.

We report this case as it highlights both how a delay in diagnosis can occur and the importance of including this complication early in the differential diagnoses of any patient presenting with acute or chronic abdominal pain with a history of bariatric surgery. Retrograde intussusception is more common than previously thought and the incidence may increase as bariatric surgery is performed more frequently worldwide.