Intussusception in adults: the case report of a rare cause of intestinal obstruction

Abstract

Intussusception of the bowel is defined as the telescoping of a proximal segment of the bowel within the lumen of an adjacent segment. This condition is a common cause of intestinal obstruction in children below two years of age. It is considered a rare cause of intestinal obstruction in the adult. It accounts for 5% of all cases of intussusception and 1-2% of all cases of intestinal obstructions in the adult population. Almost up to 20% of cases are idiopathic and they are not having any lead point pathology. The rest of the cases are caused by organic lesions like Meckel’s diverticulum, benign and malignant lesions, metastatic neoplasm, intestinal polyp, etc. In adults’ preoperative diagnosis is difficult and a definitive diagnosis is made at laparotomy. Computerized tomography is the most sensitive diagnostic modality for this condition.