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Ileocolic intussusception caused by a lipoma in an adult
Dong Eun Lee1, Jae Young Choe1
1Dong Eun Lee, Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41944, South Korea.
Insights
Adult intussusception is rare, presenting with vague symptoms. This case highlights a submucosal lipoma causing ileocolic intussusception, emphasizing the need for CT scans in diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Oncology
Background:
- Intussusception is uncommon in adults, comprising only 5% of all cases and 1-5% of bowel obstructions.
- Adult intussusception differs from pediatric cases in etiology, presentation, and management, often mimicking other abdominal pain causes due to nonspecific symptoms.
Observation:
- A 29-year-old woman presented with fever and epigastric pain.
- Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed ileocolic intussusception.
Findings:
- Laparoscopic resection of a small bowel luminal mass was performed.
- Histopathology confirmed a 3.5 cm × 2.7 cm submucosal lipoma in the terminal ileum.
Implications:
- Vigilance and appropriate investigations, particularly CT scans, are crucial for prompt diagnosis and surgical referral in adult intussusception.
- Submucosal lipomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of adult intussusception.
Abstract:
Intussusception is rarely observed in adults. Adult cases account for only 5% of all cases of intussusceptions and almost 1%-5% of bowel obstruction cases. The etiology, presentation and management of intussusception in adults are different from those in children. The clinical presentation in adults often includes nonspecific signs and symptoms, thereby complicating differential diagnosis from other causes of abdominal pain. We report a 29-year-old Asian woman who visited our emergency department with complaints of fever associated with epigastric pain since one day. Abdominal computed tomography demonstrated ileocolic intussusception, and laparoscopic small bowel luminal mass resection was performed. Histopathology report confirmed a 3.5 cm × 2.7 cm submucosal lipoma in the terminal ileum. Sufficient vigilance and appropriate investigations are important for prompt diagnosis and surgical referral of patients to enable favorable outcomes. A computed tomography scan can be a helpful modality in establishing a diagnosis.
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