Intussusception in infants and older children: a comparison

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Intussusception is a common surgical emergency in children.
• Clinical presentation and outcomes can vary significantly between age groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare clinical features and operative findings of intussusception in infants versus older children.
• To identify age-specific differences in presentation, etiology, and surgical outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 66 children (37 infants, 29 older children) with intussusception over 10 years.
• Comparison of clinical presentation, physical examination findings, and operative results between the two age groups.

Main Results:

• Chronic intussusception occurred in 28% of older children vs. 5% of infants.
• Classical symptoms were present in only one-third of cases; older children more often had pain and mass, while infants had distension and diarrhea.
• Infants had a higher rate of entero-colic intussusception (54%) compared to older children (69% colonic).
• Idiopathic intussusception was universal in infants, contrasted with 14% in older children with predisposing causes.
• Surgical resection for gangrene/perforation was needed in 30% of infants versus 7% of older children.

Conclusions:

• Intussusception exhibits distinct clinical patterns and requires different management considerations in infants versus older children.
• Prompt diagnosis and surgical intervention are crucial, especially in infants due to higher risks of complications.