Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2025
Ileectomy-induced Bile Overaccumulation in Mouse Intestine
Published on: August 21, 2017
Small bowel lipoma and intussusception: a case report
Fahreyar Alam1, Stewart Chikukuza1, Omar Okkeh1
1Department of General Surgery, Great Western Hospital NHS Trust, Swindon SN36BB, UK.
Insights
Intussusception, or telescoping of the bowel, is rare in adults. This case highlights small bowel lipoma as a key cause of adult small bowel intussusception, emphasizing diagnostic vigilance.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Intussusception, the telescoping of bowel, is a common cause of obstruction in children but rare in adults.
- Adult intussusception typically involves a pathological lead point and presents with non-specific symptoms, complicating diagnosis.
Observation:
- A 57-year-old female presented with small bowel intussusception (SBI).
- The intussusception was found to be secondary to a small bowel lipoma (SBL).
Findings:
- Small bowel intussusception in adults is often secondary to underlying structural lesions.
- Small bowel lipomas are an important, though uncommon, cause of adult SBI.
Implications:
- Increased clinical suspicion for SBI in adults is crucial, especially when symptoms are non-specific.
- Small bowel lipomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis for adult small bowel intussusception to ensure timely diagnosis and management.
Abstract:
Intussusception is defined as the telescoping of bowel into itself. Intussusception is the leading cause of bowel obstruction in children, but it is rare in adults [1, 2]. It has a pathological intramural or extramural lead point. In adults, it accounts for 1%-5% of cases of bowel obstruction [3, 4]. Unlike presentation in the paediatric population of cramping abdominal pain, bloody mucus, and palpable mass in right iliac fossa, presentation in adults can be more varied and non-specific [1, 4]. Hence, diagnosis of small bowel intussusception (SBI) can be challenging, requiring a higher degree of clinical suspicion [5]. While cases of paediatric intestinal intussusception are often primary, most adult cases are secondary to structural lesions [5]. This case is of a 57-year-old lady who presented with SBI secondary to a small bowel lipoma (SBL), reflecting the importance of considering SBL as a differential in the causes of SBI.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Inflammatory Bowel Disease V: Surgical Management
Here are some common surgical interventions for IBD:
01:26Endoscopic Procedures IV: Sigmoidoscopy and Laproscopy
Sigmoidoscopy
Sigmoidoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that uses a flexible sigmoidoscope equipped with a light source and camera to examine the rectum and sigmoid colon. The procedure involves inserting the tube through the anus...
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by...
01:27Histology of the Small Intestine
The intestinal lining features transverse folds called circular folds, each housing fingerlike projections known as intestinal villi. These villi are covered by a layer of simple columnar epithelium, also referred to as...