Beyond lead points: transient small-bowel intussusception in adolescents without structural lesions
Abstract
Intussusception is a leading cause of intestinal obstruction in young children but remains uncommon in adolescents, where structural lead points typically predominate. Functional or transient small-bowel intussusception without anatomical lesions is rare and often under-recognized in this age group. We report two adolescents presenting with acute abdominal pain and vomiting. Case 1 involved a 15-year-old girl on SSRI therapy with jejuno-ileal intussusception that spontaneously reduced during laparoscopy; localized hematoma, marked hyperperistalsis and venous congestion were observed without structural lead points. Case 2 involved a 13-yearold boy with heterozygous β-thalassemia and ileo-ileal intussusception associated with reactive mesenteric lymph nodes; laparoscopic reduction was successful. These cases illustrate non-structural mechanisms of adolescent intussusception, including SSRI-associated hypermotility and reactive lymphoid hyperplasia. Recognition of these factors, combined with prompt laparoscopic assessment, ensures optimal management, and prevents ischemic complications.
Keywords
Supporting Agencies
None
References
- 1. Li Y, Zhou Q, Liu C, et al. Epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and treatment of children with acute intussusception: a case series. BMC Pediatr 2023;23:143. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-023-03961-y
- 2. Ibrahim D, Patel NP, Gupta M, et al. Ileocecal intussusception in the adult population: case series of two patients. West J Emerg Med 2010;11:197–200.
- 3. Wang L, Zhang H, Wang D, et al. Clinical features of intussusception in children secondary to small bowel tumours: a retrospective study of 31 cases. BMC Pediatr 2024;24:227. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-04717-y
- 4. Coates MD, Johnson AC, Greenwood‐van Meerveld B, Mawe GM. Effects of serotonin transporter inhibition on gastrointestinal motility and colonic sensitivity in the mouse. Neurogastroenterol Motility 2006;18:464–71. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2982.2006.00792.x
- 5. Xu F, Xie Q, Kuang W, Dong Z. Interactions Between Antidepressants and Intestinal Microbiota. Neurotherapeutics 2023;20:359–71. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-023-01362-8
- 6. Wang Z, Li H, Kang Y, et al. Risks of digestive system side-effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in patients with depression: a network meta-analysis. Ther Clin Risk Manag 2022; 18:799–812. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/TCRM.S363404
- 7. Janssen P, Vos R, Tack J. The influence of citalopram on interdigestive gastrointestinal motility in man. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010;32:289–95. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2010.04351.x
Metrics
Citations and online attention from Dimensions, Altmetric and PlumX.
License
Copyright (c) 2026 the Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.