Complications, Volume 1, Issue 2 (September 2024) – 1 article

Background: Intestinal intussusception is defined as the invagination of one segment of the intestine into the lumen of an adjacent intestinal segment, resulting in the mechanical intestinal obstruction of multifactorial origin with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. It is a rare pathology in adults with a nonspecific clinical presentation. We present the case of a 26-year-old male patient who was admitted postoperatively after multiple extra institutional surgical interventions due to polytrauma secondary to a work-related accident that caused high-impact trauma by a solids mixer. However, he was referred to our institution due to suspected vascular trauma in the right femoral artery. During his hospital stay, he developed intolerance to oral intake associated with pain, abdominal distension, and persistent emetic episodes despite medical management. Consequently, an abdominal CT scan with double contrast was requested, revealing intestinal intussusception secondary to intestinal adhesions, which required new surgical management with a favorable resolution; Discussion: Intussusception in the adult population is rare and is primarily caused by an identifiable structural lesion. It is one of the most challenging pathologies in terms of diagnosis and management due to its nonspecific presentation. However, when postoperative symptoms indicating intestinal obstruction appear, a computed tomography scan is considered the imaging modality of choice for diagnosing intussusception in adults; Conclusions: The development of postoperative peritoneal adhesions is a common cause of intestinal obstruction that can lead to complications such as intestinal intussusception, requiring additional interventions. Therefore, it is vital to identify their presence to reduce morbidity and mortality. Full article