The first operation for intussusception

Because of its vivid manifestations of blood-stained mucus passed per rectum, the violent abdominal colic, the easily palpable abdominal mass and, in late cases, a prolapsing 'tumour' to be seen extruding through the anal verge, it is not suprising that intussusception in infants was one of the earliest causes of intestinal obstruction to be clearly recognised. Treatment was conservative. Efforts were made to reduce the mass with rectal bougies or enemas. Surgeons were encouraged to do this by the all too rare reports of successes, or by the still rarer accounts of spontaneous cure as a result of the passage per rectum of the segment of gangrenous bowel.