Intestinal tumor lesions leading to intussusception in children: a report of four cases and literature review

Background Intussusception is commonly idiopathic in children. Pathologic lead points (PLP) especially intestinal tumors (IT) are extremely rare. The diagnosis of intussusception secondary to pediatric IT is difficult due to the non-specific nature of symptoms. Its management remains a challenge. We report here four pediatric cases of intussusception secondary to IT lesions in order to analyze the clinical and therapeutic characteristics of this unusual condition. Case presentations Four children were diagnosed and operated in our center for intussusception secondary to IT during the period from February 2017 to February 2021. Patients’ demographics, clinical presentations, investigations, operative data, and postoperative outcome were recorded and analyzed. There were three girls and one boy. Ages ranged between 1 and 8 years (average of 5.5 years). Intermittent abdominal pain with acute exacerbation and vomiting were the main clinical signs. Radiologic investigations showed the intussusception in all cases but the tumor lead point was evident only during the surgical exploration in most cases. All patients underwent surgical treatment with intussusception reduction and mass removal. Pathological examination of these masses revealed: submucosal intestinal lipoma (1 case), hamartomatous polyposis (2 cases), and Burkitt’s lymphoma (1 case). For this last case, adjuvant chemotherapy was also needed. The postoperative period was uneventful in all cases. Conclusion Pediatric intussusception secondary to IT lesions is an unusual and challenging condition that requires high preoperative diagnostic suspicion, considerate intraoperative judgment, and appropriate postoperative follow-up for successful outcomes. These tumors should be considered by the pediatric surgeons as possible PLP for recurrent intussusception, especially in older children. Surgeons should be familiar with the various treatment options, because the real cause of the intussusception is often accurately diagnosed by laparotomy.