Ileocecal intussusception due to the intestinal metastasis of malignant melanoma

Abstract

Intestinal obstruction due to ileocecal intussusception is very rare in adult age. Primary and secondary tumors, inflammatory or proliferative processes of the bowel are the causative factors. Malignant melanoma is a common disease in the western world with high metastatic rates, and is also a common extra-abdominal source of gastrointestinal metastases.

We present a 55-year-old woman with the complaints of an abrupt colicky abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Her history revealed cutaneous melanoma that was excised five years ago. Her physical examination revealed abdominal distention with generalized abdominal tenderness. multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) revealed a mass at ileocecal junction with dilatation of entire small bowel segments. Metastasis was confirmed by laparotomy. After a right-sided hemicolectomy, patient died of disease with widespread metastasis with of one year after colectomy.