Intussusception: hospital size and risk of surgery

To determine whether the risk of operative management of children with intussusception varies by hospital pediatric caseload.

A cohort of all children with intussusception in Washington State from 1987 through 1996.

All hospitals in Washington State.

Five hundred seventy children with a hospital discharge diagnosis of intussusception were identified. Sixty-two were excluded because of missing data. Procedure codes for operative management and radiologic management were also identified.

Fifty-three percent of the children had operative reduction and 20% had resection of bowel. Children with operative reduction did not differ from those with nonoperative care by median age or gender; however, children with operative care were significantly more likely to receive care in hospitals with smaller pediatric caseloads and to have a coexisting condition associated with intussusception. Sixty-four percent of children who received care in a large children's hospital had nonoperative reduction, compared with 36% of children who received care in hospitals with 0 to 3000 annual pediatric admissions and 24% of children who had care in hospitals with 3000 to 10 000 annual pediatric admissions. Median length of stay and charges were significantly less in the large children's hospital, compared with other centers.

Children who received care for intussusception in a large children's hospital had decreased risk of operative care, shorter length of stay, and lower hospital charges compared with children who received care in hospitals with smaller pediatric caseloads.