Adult intussusception: a continuously unveiling clinical complex illustrating both acute (emergency) and chronic disease management

Abstract

For citation purposes: Ongom PA, Kijjambu SC. Adult intussusception: a continuously unveiling clinical complex illustrating both acute (emergency) and chronic disease management. OA Emergency Medicine 2013 Aug 01;1(1):3. Abstract Introduction Adult intussusception is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction. Its occur-rence often presents clinicians with a diagnostic conundrum owing to its broad variation in clinical presenta-tion. Over the last half century, stud-ies have continuously contributed to the better understanding of the aeti-ology, diagnosis and treatment. The aim of this review is to discuss acute and chronic disease management in adult intussusception. Discussion The aetiology has multiple dimen-sions to its description. These in-clude its location in the gastrointes-tinal tract, presence or absence of a physical or functional initiating le-sion (lead point) and the behavioural characteristics of this lead point, be it benign or malignant. The symptoms and signs of intussusception are wide ranging, making it have a presenta-tion anywhere between an acute and a chronic intestinal obstruction. Radi-ological investigations for diagnosis can be quite accurate in the hands of skilled and experienced radiologists. The hallmark of treatment is open or laparoscopic (operative) surgery. Conclusion This clinical entity calls for a high index of suspicion coupled with rel-evant radiological investigations in its diagnosis. We are observing a trend in which unique aetiologies