Giant ileal inflammatory fibroid polyp causing small bowel obstruction: a case report and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION: There are several types of small bowel pathology that can lead to small bowel obstruction or intussusception. The etiology causing small bowel obstruction varies by age. Benign disease is the typical cause in children and adolescents while malignant or adhesive disease is far more common in older patients. Although cases of adult intussusception caused by benign processes are rare, there are reports of inflammatory fibroid polyps causing adult intussusception of the terminal ileum published in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 70-year-old man with a multiple year history of intermittent episodes of bowel obstruction who was found to have a giant ileal inflammatory fibroid polyp causing intermittent small bowel obstruction. The patient underwent operative intervention and has now been symptom-free for three years. CONCLUSION: Small bowel lesions include both malignant and benign etiologies. The malignant etiologies include adenocarcinoma, carcinoid or lymphoma while benign lesions are typically lipomas, inflammatory polyps or adenomas. Inflammatory fibroid polyps are rare, benign lesions that can occur anywhere within the gastrointestinal tract. They are typically an incidental finding, but on rare occasions have been presented as the source of intussusception or obstruction.