Epigastric pain…it's not always alcohol! An unusual presentation of caecal intussusception

  • Doherty, J
  • Ahmed, I
BMJ Case Reports 2014, 2014. | DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2014-204183

Our patient is a 19-year-old man who presented to the emergency department after consuming 50–60 units of alcohol over a weekend. He presented with a 2-day history of right-upper quadrant (RUQ) and epigastric pain radiating to the back. On examination he was haemodynamically stable. His abdomen was soft with minimal tenderness in the RUQ, epigastric and right-iliac fossa areas. Laboratory results showed a slightly raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Amylase and white cell count were normal. Ultrasound was performed raising the suspicion of intussusception. A CT scan was recommended and confirmed the presence of an intussusception. Once diagnosis was established, the patient had an emergency laparotomy and right hemicoloectomy, with per-operative findings consistent with the CT findings. This case illustrates the importance of keeping an open approach to all differentials while considering a diagnosis along with the importance of recognising intussusception when it occurs as complications can each represent a cause of mortality on their own.

Copyright © 2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
View full text|Download PDF