Ileocecal Intussusception in an Adult Secondary to a Colon Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

Intussusception is defined as telescoping of a proximal segment of the gastrointestinal tract into a distal segment caused by an organic lesion usually on the bowel that functions as a guiding point been pulled towards a distal segment due to normal peristalsis. It is rare in adults, and it represents only 5% of all intussusceptions which for the most part has been reported in the rectosigmoid colon and mostly diagnosed during surgery. We present a patient with intermittent abdominal pain and intermittent mild symptoms of bowel obstruction who reveals in imaging studies an ileocecal intussusception and due to his age, loss of weight, and a palpable tumor, a malignancy as the cause of intussusception was suspected. The histopathological study reported a colon adenocarcinoma. Although it is possible to reduce an intussusception, this should be avoided in adults due to a high malignancy rate and a perforation risk of the piece that might cause tumor cell dissemination. Taking in consideration what has been reported in literature and the colon cancer epidemiology, we should always keep in mind the possibility of a malignant tumor in a colonic intussusception finding, regardless if it is diagnosed during preoperative by imaging studies in a scheduled patient or if it is found during an emergency laparotomy.