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Intussusception affects both infants and older children, with a less acute clinical course in older patients. Prompt surgery is advised for recurrent intussusception in children over two years old due to potential underlying intestinal issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Surgical Pediatrics
Background:
- Intussusception is a common cause of intestinal obstruction in infants.
- The incidence and presentation of intussusception in older children are less well-documented compared to infants.
Abstract:
During its first 6 years of operation a large pediatric unit in a suburban general hospital treated 13 children over the age of 2 years for confirmed intussesception. During the same period 14 infants under the age of 2 years were treated for intussusception. It is suggested that the true age incidence of the disease is reflected more accurately by these figures than by those reported by large children's hospitals. The clinical course was often less acute in the older child and hydrostatic reduction was usually effective (in 11 of 12 attempts). Prompt operation is recommended when the condition recurs more than 1 week after reduction because of the increased risk of an underlying intestinal lesion. Practitioners are urged to keep intussusception in mind when assessing an older child with intestinal colic.