Pedunculated colonic lipoma causing adult colo-colic intussusception: A case report and literature review

Colo-colonic intussusception (CI) in adults is rare, usually caused by malignant conditions. Nonmalignant tumors, like colonic lipomas (CLs), can also be an underlying cause.

We report an unusual case of a 62-year-old man admitted to the emergency department with acute abdominal symptoms. The CT scan confirmed the colonic obstruction, causing significant distention in the transverse and right colon. It also revealed an intraluminal pedunculated colonic mass with fatty density. Peroperatively, a descending colon intussusception was noted. We performed a left colon resection with a double colostomy on the left flank. The postoperative follow-up was uneventful. Pathologic examination of the surgical specimen revealed two lipomas. One of them was pedunculated and protruded into the colonic lumen causing the intussusception.

We conducted a literature review of adult CLs complicated by CI, covering the period from January 1900 to June 2024, including 203 cases. We excluded lipomas exclusive to the small intestine and ileocecal valvula. Our analysis focused on the clinical and pathological characteristics of these cases, as well as the available management options.

Colonic intussusception due to lipomas are uncommon with a challenging preoperative diagnosis despite the evolution of imaging procedures. We aimed by our case to highlight such pathology and to study its features and the possibilities of its management.