[Intestinal intussusception: a diagnostic dilemma in adults. Two case reports and literature review].

BACKGROUND

Intestinal intussusception is a common pathology among children, whereas it is a rare entity in adults. The child/adult ratio is abdominal surgeries and in 1/100 patients operated on for intestinal obstruction. Clinical manifestations of adult intussusception are nonspecific and patients may present with acute, intermittent or chronic symptoms, predominantly those of intestinal obstruction.

CLINICAL CASE: We report two cases of intussusceptions in adults. The first case, ileo-ileal intussusception, was secondary to hamartoma in terminal ileum. The second case presented as an ileo-colonic intussusception in which no underlying lesion was identified as a causal factor.

CONCLUSION

Adult intussusception is a rare entity. Most cases have a precipitating factor and due to its association with a malignant pathology, intestinal resection without reduction is the surgical procedure of choice.