Adult bowel intussusception: presentation, location, etiology, diagnosis and treatment

Bowel intussusception is rare in adults but common in children. Almost 90% of adult intussusceptions are secondary to a pathologic condition and the clinical picture can be very aspecific and challenging. In this review we discuss the symptoms, location, etiology, characteristics, diagnostic methods and treatment strategies of this rare and enigmatic clinical entity in adults. We have to highlight the high index of suspicion that is necessary for the operating surgeon, when dealing with acute, subacute or chronic abdominal pain in adults, because any misinterpretation may result in unfavorable outcomes.