Treatment Outcome of Acute Intussusception in Children Under Two Years of Age: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background Intussusception is a common cause of small intestinal obstruction in children under two years of age. Late diagnosis can lead to a potentially worse condition. This prospective study aims to describe the clinical manifestation and develop a conservative management protocol for acute ileocaecal intussusception in children under two years of age. Methods This prospective study was carried out in 118 consecutive patients under two years of age. Patients presented with symptoms and signs of acute intestinal obstruction and a diagnosis of ileocaecal intussusception confirmed by ultrasound were included in this study. All the patients were managed with either pneumatic reduction or operation. Results There were 70 boys and 48 girls ranging in age from three months to two years with a median of 12.5 months. Clinical presentation included abdominal pain (100%), vomiting (82.2%), bloody stool (11.9%), and a palpable mass (43.2%). Patients hospitalized with the symptoms and signs for less than 24 hours accounted for 80.5% of the cases. The overall success rate of pneumatic reduction was 98.3%. Late hospital admission (≥ 24 hours from illness onset), bloody stool, and presenting with the classic triad of symptoms of intussusception were found as the factors that correlated to the surgical management outcome. All patients recovered well without any complications. The median of postoperative hospital stay of two days for the pneumatic reduction group and six days for the operation group. Conclusion The early diagnosis of intussusception contributes to the success of pneumatic reduction and reduces the requirement of surgical intervention.