Clinical Students at FIU Were Key Members of a Research Team Investigating Intestinal Lipomatosis.
Recently, AUA clinical students Mahboub Noori, Kishan Patel, and William Yuen were part of a team of researchers that published a case study in International Journal of Surgery Case Reports entitled “Rare diagnosis of intestinal lipomatosis in an adult: A case report.”
Lipomatosis is a hereditary disorder that manifests in the form of benign tumors. Like more common forms of the condition, intestinal lipomatosis is usually asymptomatic but can cause painful obstruction or gastrointestinal bleeding. It is extremely rare, occurring in an estimated .04-4.5 percent of individuals. The article considers the case of a 47-year-old male who arrived at Florida International University’s Emergency Department with abdominal pain as his chief complaint. A CT scan revealed ileocolic intussusception, or intussusception in the region near the ileum and the colon. Intussusception, which can present with intestinal lipomatosis, is when one part of the intestine slides into another. It’s a serious condition because when one intestine “telescopes” into an adjacent one, blockages often occur, which can lead to bowel perforations, infections, and the death of bowel tissue.
The researchers’ findings confirmed the usefulness of previous treatments for managing intussusception, and provided further evidence that intussusception can be a complication of intestinal lipomatosis. “It teaches us the importance of keeping a wide differential when considering a diagnosis of bowel obstruction. Through imaging, surgical exploration, and pathological interpretation, this case, which began as a complaint of abdominal pain, [was discovered to be] a rare clinical entity,” the researchers concluded.
Mahboub, Kishan, and William are fourth-year med students participating in the Graduate Clinical Core Rotation Certificate Program, which AUA offers in collaboration with Florida International University (FIU). Congratulations and keep up the good work!
