Intussusception secondary to adenocarcinoma of the colon: A case report and literature review

Abstract

Intussusception in adults is a rare occurrence, accounting for approximately 1%–3% of bowel obstruction cases. Here, we present a case of colocolic intussusception of the sigmoid colon caused by adenocarcinoma. A 67-year-old male presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain and rectal bleeding. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed intussusception involving the sigmoid colon and a potential mass. In the operating room, the patient underwent flexible sigmoidoscopy, followed by sigmoidectomy and end colostomy. Pathological examination of the resected specimen confirmed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon with negative margins, and two of the 54 lymph nodes were positive for metastasis. A repeat CT scan of the abdomen showed multiple sub-centimeter low-density hepatic lesions, and biopsy confirmed a metastatic lesion. The patient ultimately elected hospice care. In this report, we describe a rare case of sigmoid intussusception in an adult patient, review the relevant literature, and summarize the diagnostic and management approaches suitable for adult intussusception cases.