Large benign submucosal lipoma presented with descending colonic intussusception in an adult

Abstract

Patient: Female, 34

Final Diagnosis: Lipoma of the large intestine

Symptoms: Abdominal pain • bloating • blood in stool • constipation • lose of appetite • nausea

Medication: —

Clinical Procedure: —

Specialty: Surgery

Objective:

Rare disease

Background:

Lipoma of the large intestine is rare, account for only 5% of all gastrointestinal tumors. Lipomas are usually asymptomatic but rarely may cause bleeding, obstruction and intussusception. We present a case of a giant colonic lipoma causing descending-colonic intussusception.

Case Report:

34 yo F presented with the intermittent left lower quadrant abdominal pain for 3 weeks. The pain initially was associated with bloating and constipation and for the last several days frank blood in stool, nausea and decreased appetite. CT scan of the abdomen revealed descending colonic obstruction by a 5.3 cm colonic lipomatous mass with resultant intussusception. Patient initially underwent colonoscopy that revealed polypoid lesion at 3–40 similar to lipoma with intussusception that was reduced. Patient subsequently underwent laparoscopic segmental left colectomy for the descending colonic intussusception due to large colonic lipomatous mass. Pathology confirmed the histology of lipoma.

Conclusions:

Adult bowel intussusception is a rare but challenging condition to diagnose in a timely manner. Preoperative diagnosis is usually missed or delayed because of nonspecific and often subacute symptoms. Lipoma is a rare cause of the intussusception. A high index of suspicion and appropriate investigations (abdominal ultrasound, CT scan and colonoscopy) can result in prompt diagnosis. Lipoma of the large intestine is very rare. Submucosal lipomas are usually asymptomatic but may cause bleeding, obstruction, intussusception, or abdominal pain. Accurate preoperative diagnosis is difficult and lipoma is often mistaken for adenomatous polyp or carcinoma. Treatment usually requires formal resection of the involved bowel segment due to high suspicion for malignancy and subsequent complications due to obstruction.