A rare association of intussusception and celiac disease in a child

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Clinical Case Study

Background:

• Intussusception is a frequent cause of pediatric intestinal obstruction, often idiopathic.
• Chronic or unusual presentations warrant thorough etiological investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a case of chronic intussusception in a child.
• To highlight celiac disease as a rare underlying cause of intussusception.

Main Methods:

• Clinical case presentation of a 3-year-old boy with prolonged gastrointestinal symptoms.
• Diagnostic workup including abdominal ultrasound and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.
• Treatment with a gluten-free diet.

Main Results:

• Initial presentation included diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss.
• Abdominal ultrasound revealed intussusception, which had resolved spontaneously.
• Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy led to a diagnosis of celiac disease.
• Gluten-free diet resulted in complete symptom remission and weight recovery.

Conclusions:

• Unusual intussusception presentations necessitate etiological investigation.
• Celiac disease can be an underlying cause of chronic intussusception in children.
• Dietary management is effective for celiac disease-related intussusception.