Intussusception Secondary to Colonic Lipoma in Terminal Ileum in A 48-Year-Old Woman: A Case Report

Abstract

Introduction: Intussusception of the small intestine in adults is rare, representing 5% of all intussusceptions and causing 1% to 5% of intestinal obstructions in this population. Colonic lipomas are benign mesenchymal neoplasms and represent the second most common non-epithelial tumor of the colon after adenomas. Since most cases of intussusception in adults present with a benign or malignant pathological point of origin, surgical intervention remains the standard of care.

Case report: We report the case of a 48-year-old female patient with no prior medical history who presented with intestinal obstruction secondary to intussusception caused by a colonic lipoma located in the terminal ileum. She underwent surgical treatment, had a successful postoperative course, and her progress over the following three months was satisfactory.

Discussion: Intestinal intussusception is defined as the invagination of a proximal segment of the intestine into a distal segment. Primary adenocarcinomas are the most frequent cause of colonic intussusception, while lipomas are the predominant benign lesion. The authors recommend surgical intervention as the primary approach for complicated lipomas, especially sessile lipomas, where endoscopic excision would be technically difficult.

Conclusion: Intussusception is an uncommon condition in adults. The causes of intussusception can be benign or malignant, with colonic lipoma being an infrequent entity. The importance of this case report lies in demonstrating the surgical management and its evolution, since, being an infrequent condition, there are no formal guidelines or standards regarding the surgical approach to follow