Malignant melanoma of the small bowel presenting with intussusception in a woman: a case report

Abstract

Primary malignant melanoma originating in the small bowel is very rare. We report the case of primary malignant melanoma of the small bowel with secondary intussusception in a 51-year-old female with no prior history of cutaneous melanoma. The patient was admitted to the hospital for clinical bowel obstruction after 6 months of varying symptoms of antecedent syncopal events secondary to profound anemia due to iron deficiency followed later by vomiting, abdominal pain and weight loss. A CT scan showed intussusception and she underwent a small bowel resection. Diagnosis of malignant melanoma was confirmed post-operatively following immunohistochemistry. The patient history and postoperative investigation excluded the existence of a primary lesion elsewhere. Our case represents an aggressive primary small bowel melanoma presenting as intussusception.