Enteritis cystica profunda causing intussusception

CASE REPORTS

Year : April-June 2007 | Volume : 4 | Issue : 2

Enteritis Cystica Profunda Causing Intussusception

Bader Al-Khabbaz, Mustafa Abbas, Mahmoud Abdulmenam, Nasser Al-Dalal.
Department of surgery, Farwania Hospital, Kuwait.

Abstract

Enteritis Cystica Profunda (ECP) is a very rare benign disease entity of the small intestine. It is defined as mucin-filled cystic spaces, partially lined by non-neoplastic columnar to cuboidal or flattened epithelium found predominantly in the submucosa of the small bowel. We report a case of 12 year-old boy with small bowel intussusception caused by Enteritis Cystica Profunda. The patient had symptoms mimicking acute appendicitis except the passage of "red-currant jelly-like" diarrhea which drew attention to the possibility of intussusception which was confirmed by ultrasonography. Diagnostic laparoscopy was followed by laparoscopic assisted resection anastomosis of affected bowel which precipitated the intussusception. It contained a 2x2 cm mass intraluminally presenting the leading point of the intussusception, and proved histologically as Enteritis Cystica Profunda. A review of the English medical literature revealed only four cases in children with similar symptoms in the last 32 years. Conclusion: Enteritis Cystica Profunda is a very rare benign condition of the small intestine. We are reporting the 5th case worldwide in pediatric population. Small-bowel intussusception is often over-looked due to nonspecific clinical presentation. Ultrasound is very reliable method of diagnosis of intestinal intussusception. Laparoscopy can safely be used in this matter diagnostically as well as therapeutically.

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