The management of infancy and childhood intussusception in a department of general surgery.
The experience with 24 intussusceptions observed in a Department of General Surgery has been reviewed. The delay between onset of symptoms and hospitalization was less than 24 hours in 58% of cases, from 24 to 48 hours in 28%, and more than 48 hours in 14% of children. 23 patients were submitted to barium enema. Hydrostatic reduction was obtained in 19 cases. Laparotomy was performed in 13 patients after failure of hydrostatic reduction and in 5 emergency cases while only 4 underwent resection. The controversies about the management of intussusception are discussed, based on a review of literature (6,542 cases). A safe diagnostic and therapeutic approach to the disease is proposed.
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007443:Intussusception / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male