Which age, sex and season brings more chances of intussusception for children-an analysis

ABSTRACT

To know as to which age, sex and season has more cases of intussusception, in children up to the age of 12 years. This prospective study spread over a period of 18 months. A total of 71 patients with surgically diagnosed intussusception were studied. The relevant data, both pre-operative and post-operative, of children who were operated for intestinal obstruction and finally turned out to be suffering from intussusception, was entered in a pre-designed proforma and the information so obtained was analyzed according to objectives of the study. Out of 71 children 55 [77.45%] were male and 16 [22.55%] were female patients. Male to female ratio was 3.41. 16[22.53%] were 3 to 7 months old, 55 [77.46%] below 1 year, 16 [22.53%] between 1 to 2 years and 13 [18.30%] above 2 years. 9 [12.67%] were recorded in January, 6 [8.45%] in February, 8 [11.26%] in March, 2 [2.81%] in April, 11 [15.49%] in May, 4 [5.63%] in June, 4 [5.63%] in July, 2 [2.81%] in August, 9 [12.67%] in September, 6 [8.45%] in October, 7 [9.85%] in November, 3 [4.22%] in December., Intussusception is more common in male than female children and again is more common below the age of 2 years and occurs mostly in January-March, May and September to November months of the year, the first 3 months and month of May coinciding with the period when gastroenteritis is endemic and September - November when respiratory tract infections predominate in children