Submucosal Lipoma at the lead point of Small bowel Intussusception in an Adult

Abstract

Abstract Introduction/Objective Morbidity and mortality among adult patients presenting with acute abdominal pain are high, and these patients often require hospitalization with prompt surgical consultation Important differentials include small bowel obstruction from previous surgeries and hernias, acute mesenteric ischemia, and ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. Intussusception in adults is rare accounting for about 1% - 5% of small bowel obstructions and thus requiring a high index of suspicion for early detection. In most cases, the lead point is a benign mass, commonly a lipoma, but histopathologic examination of the resected segment is required to rule out malignancy. Methods/Case Report We present a case of a 50-year old male with a medical history of psoriasis and hypertension who was admitted on account of a 1-day history of sudden onset persistent abdominal pain with associated nausea non-bilious emesis. Physical examination reveals no fever and soft non-distended abdomen with diffuse tenderness. CT scan demonstrated long segment small bowel-small bowel intussusception with markedly edematous and dilated bowel, compatible with obstruction. The lead-point was suspected to be a 3.9cm lipoma. Segmental resection and primary re-anastomosis were performed. Gross examination revealed a 13cm segment of bowel telescoping into a distal segment with a lead-point demonstrating mucosal congestion and submucosal thickening corresponding to a well-circumscribed 3.5cm tan yellow soft lobulated mass with yellow cut surface. Histopathology was consistent with lipoma. The patient made an uneventful postoperative recovery. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) N/A Conclusion Intussusception should be kept in the differential diagnosis of adults presenting with sudden onset abdominal pain and pathologic examination of the resected segment is necessary to rule out malignancy.