Controversy in the Treatment of Adult Long Ileocolic Intussusception: Case Report

Adult intussusception is an unusual cause of intestinal obstruction. In contrast to children, intussusception in adults is usually due to an identifiable cause. We present a case of an 81-year-old female who was diagnosed with a long intussusception on CT scan of the abdomen. Because of the likelihood of neoplasia, a right hemicolectomy was undertaken, after which the patient recovered well. The correct treatment of adult intussusception is not unanimously agreed upon. We present a case of long intussusception in which partial reduction of viable small bowel before the resection was done by applying gentle traction. This provided sufficient small bowel mesentery length, preventing any damage to superior mesenteric vessels and avoiding unnecessary excision of healthy bowel.