Adult Intussusception: A 10-year Institutional Review

Intussusception occurs when a proximal bowel segment telescopes into the lumen of adjoining distal bowel. Adult intussusception (AI) is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction. The preoperative diagnosis remains a challenge due to the nonspecific nature of presenting symptoms.

To present our institutional experience with the presentation and management of AI.

A retrospective analysis of 10 cases of AI managed between January 2015 and December 2024. Data were extracted from the patients' medical records and analysed using SPSS version 21. Results were presented in tables as frequency and simple percentages.

During the study period, 10 cases of AI were managed, comprising of 5 males and 5 females, giving a male to female ratio of 1:1. The patients' ages ranged between 29 and 75 years with a mean age of 43.2 years. Most of the patients presented with symptoms of intestinal obstruction including nausea and vomiting. The symptoms' duration varied from 3 days to 180 days, with majority (60%) presenting with subacute symptoms. Ileocolic (40%) was the commonest variety. Lymphadenitis (30%) and idiopathic (20%) were the commonest lead points. Adenocarcinoma accounted for 10%. All 10 patients had surgical intervention that included right hemicolectomy (50%), segmental ileal resection (30%) and segmental ileal resection with subtotal colectomy (10%). There were two morbidities and one mortality.

AI is rare in our facility occurring equally in both sexes. Surgery was the mainstay of treatment. A high index of suspicion, aided by appropriate imaging techniques, is critical to achieving good management outcome.