Intussusception after congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair

Bowel intussusception is a common complication of abdominal surgery. However, the literature on intussusception after congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) repair is scarce. A 24-month-old female was admitted with vomiting, crying and leukocytosis, with no objective abdominal signs. The chest x-ray showed the presence of bowel in the left hemithorax. Surgical exposure reduced a hernia across a Bochdalek defect, involving part of the left colon and the transverse colon. On the 7th postoperative day, the patient had symptoms of intestinal obstruction with worsening of her general condition. The explorative laparotomy evidenced an ileoileal intussusception, 15 cm from the ileocecal valve, in absence of a leading point. A postoperative intussusception in a similar case could be explained by atony of the herniated bowel, possibly a functional leading point in the postoperative phase, when the peristalsis is reactivated.