A comparison of the success rate of pneumatic reduction in intussusception between general anesthesia and deep sedation: a randomized controlled trial
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 1, 2025

Author Spotlight: A Non-Intubated Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery with Multimodal Analgesia and Sevoflurane Inhalation Anesthesia
Published on: May 26, 2023
Jiraporn Khorana1,2,3, Sasiwimol Tepjuk4, Jesda Singhavejsakul4,5
1Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University Hospital, 110 Intavaroros Road, Muang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand. nanji22@gmail.com.
Purpose:
This study was aimed to compare the success rate between patients who underwent general anesthesia and deep sedation.
Methods:
Patients who were diagnosed with intussusception and had no contraindications would receive non-operative treatment first by undergoing pneumatic reduction. The patients were then split in to two groups: one group underwent general anesthesia (GA group), while the other underwent deep sedation (SD group). This study was a randomized controlled trial which compared success rate between two groups.
Results:
A total of 49 episodes diagnosed with intussusception were random into 25 episodes in GA group and 24 episodes in SD group. There was no significant difference in baseline characteristic between the two groups. The success rates of GA group and SD group were equally 88.0% (p = 1.00). Sub-analysis of the success rate was lower in the patients with high-risk score for failed reduction. (Chiang Mai University Intussusception (CMUI) failed score in success VS failed = 6.9 ± 3.2 vs. 10.3 ± 3.0 p = 0.017).
Conclusion:
General anesthesia and deep sedation offered similar success rates. In cases of high risk of failure, general anesthesia should be considered to accommodate the switch to surgical management in the same setting if the non-operative approach fails. The appropriate treatment and sedative protocol also increase the success of reduction.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Stages of General Anesthesia
General Anesthesia: Overview
General anesthesia induces unconsciousness in the whole body, while the others target specific areas or sensations. It is administered to minimize adverse effects, maintain...
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview

