Intussusception in infancy and childhood: a review of 352 cases in ten years

ABSTRACT

An overview of the experience of the past ten years with intussusception is analysed and discussed. This entailed 352 cases admitted to the Paediatric Surgical Unit, University of Alexandria in the period from January 1971 to December 1980. The age of this series ranged between 2 months and 11 years with a peak at the age of six months. The sex incidence showed a male predominance with a ratio of 1.61. History of gastro-enteritis was present in 64% of cases. The leading presenting symptoms were intermittent abdominal colics [94.3%] and rectal bleeding [91.7%]. The duration of symptoms was more than two days in 184 cases. A palpable mass was present in 97.2% of the total number of cases. Barium enema was done for the rest of the cases without masses [19 cases] to clench the diagnosis. Simple reduction was successful in 278 cases and resection was needed in 74 cases. The post-operative morbidity was encountered in the form of broncho-pneumonia, adhesive obstruction, wound sepsis and dehiscence, recurrence and adhesive obstruction in 67 cases out of the whole series. The mortality rate after simple reduction was 5%, while after resection it was 38%. The total mortality rate amounted to 11.4%