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Routine surgical intervention for childhood intussusception in a developing country

Sebastian O Ekenze1, Samuel O Mgbor, Obinna R Okwesili

  • 1Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. sebekenze@gmail.com

Annals of African Medicine
|April 27, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Intussusception in Nigerian children often presents late, requiring extensive surgery and leading to high mortality rates. Improving diagnosis and specialized care is crucial for better outcomes in this pediatric surgical emergency.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Gastroenterology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Intussusception is a common surgical emergency in children.
  • Understanding the specific challenges in resource-limited settings is vital for improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the underlying factors contributing to the standard surgical management of intussusception in southeast Nigeria.
  • To analyze the characteristics and outcomes of pediatric intussusception cases treated surgically.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 71 children undergoing surgery for intussusception.
  • Data collected from June 1998 to May 2006 at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.
  • Evaluation of patient demographics, intussusception type, identified causes, surgical procedures, and follow-up outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Median age was 6 months; average delay in presentation was 3.2 days.
  • Ileocolic intussusception was most common (64.8%).
  • 45% required bowel resection; overall mortality was 8.5% due to septicemia.

Conclusions:

  • Intussusception in this region presents late, with high rates of resection and mortality.
  • Surgery remains the primary treatment due to diagnostic delays and facility limitations.
  • Improvements in timely diagnosis, specialized facilities, and personnel are essential.
Abstract

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