Intussusception Caused by Colonic Tumors in Elderly Patients: A Case Series of Seven Patients

Intussusception revealing right colonic adenocarcinoma in a 61-year-old woman: a case report

INTRODUCTION

Adult Intussusception is an uncommon diagnosis, with one to three cases occurring in a population of 1,000,000 per year, primarily due to underlying pathological lead points, of which 70% are malignant. Lipoma is the most common benign tumour, and primary adenocarcinoma is the most common malignant one. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to reducing poor outcomes, including ischemia, perforation, and sepsis. Computed tomography imaging is a modality of choice for diagnosis. With a diagnostic accuracy of up to 100% and a specificity of up to 71%. Surgical intervention is the definitive treatment, and the decision is taken according to the situation.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 61-year-old Black African female presented to our surgical casualty with intermittent colicky abdominal pain for 1 month. After that, she started to experience abdominal swelling in the right iliac fossa. A CT scan confirmed the presence of colo-colic Intussusception, cecum-ascending-transverse colon. Laparotomy was scheduled, and a right hemicolectomy was done accordingly. Diagnosis of adenocarcinoma (Dukes stage B2) was made histologically.

CONCLUSION

Intussusception in adults is a challenging diagnosis requiring high clinical suspicion and has a high incidence of fatal complications. Colonic cancer can be worsening by any infection and chronic medical problem. CT imaging is the lifesaving modality of choice for diagnosis. Good patient outcomes depend on timely diagnosis and recruitment of a multi-disciplinary team.

Colocolic intussusception secondary to colonic adenocarcinoma with impending caecal perforation in an elderly patient: A rare case report

Introduction

Intussusception is a surgical emergency in which a part of the intestine slides into the distal adjacent part. Adult colocolic intussusception secondary to a tumoral process is a rare but serious clinical condition requiring immediate surgical intervention.

Case presentation

We report a case of a 65-year-old male patient presenting with abdominal pain and distention, subsequently diagnosed with colocolic intussusception in the descending colon with closed-loop bowel obstruction with impending caecal perforation. An exophytic mass on the descending colon was discovered intra-operatively, prompting a subtotal colectomy with ileosigmoidal anastomosis and loop ileostomy with the suspicion of malignancy. The histopathological examination of the surgical specimen concluded a moderately-differentiated colonic adenocarcinoma with 40% mucinous component.

Clinical discussion

Adult intestinal intussusception is a rare but serious condition differing greatly in etiology from its pediatric counterpart. Its preoperative diagnosis is challenging in adults, which appears to be due to its imprecise presenting signs and symptoms; thus, the condition can be mistaken for other causes of intestinal obstruction. Adenocarcinomas remain the most common cause of malignant tumors in the colon, which also makes them one of the causes for colocolic intussusception.

Conclusion

Intussusception can appear as a surgical emergency even in the elderly, necessitating prompt surgical intervention to avoid intestinal ischemia and gangrene. Its diagnosis can be aided to a great degree by CT imaging.

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Colocolic intussusception is a rare surgical emergency in adults and is often associated with neoplastic lead points.

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Clinical diagnosis of the disease is challenging because of its non-specific presenting features. However, its diagnosis can be aided to a great degree by CT imaging.

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The disease necessitates prompt surgical intervention to avoid intestinal ischemia and gangrene.

Management of Adult Intussusception-A Case Series Experience from a Tertiary Center

BACKGROUND

The management of intussusception is controversial. Clinical presentation, with the aid of imaging modalities, enables a better selection of patients for the appropriate treatment algorithm. Conservative management versus surgical intervention with bowel resection is considered accordingly.

METHODS

Retrospective review of a computerized database of patients who were admitted with intussusception between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2020, in a single tertiary center in Israel. Patients who were treated conservatively were compared to those who underwent surgery. Patients who underwent bowel resection were compared to those that had surgery without a resection.

RESULTS

A total of 76 patients were diagnosed with intussusception, and 49 were operated. Bowel resection was performed in 32 cases. 20/76(26%) were successfully managed conservatively. Patients with a lead point (OR = 5.59) and colonic involvement (OR = 13.72) had a higher likelihood for resection. The likelihood of bowel resection was found to be significantly lower with proximal small bowel intussusception (OR = 0.071).

CONCLUSION

Young patients presenting with intussusception may be treated conservatively when adequate criteria are met in order to avoid unnecessary surgical interventions.