title: Intussusception in adults: a 21-year experience in the university-affiliated emergency center and indication for nonoperative reduction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While intussusception is relatively common in children, it is rare in adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the records of all patients older than 18 years with the diagnosis of intussusception between 1981 and 2001.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven patients with surgically or endoscopically proven intussusception were encountered at the University-affiliated emergency center. The patients ranged in age from 19 to 88 years with a mean age of 45 years. Males predominated by a ratio of 7:4. Most patients (82%) presented with symptoms of bowel obstruction. The mean duration of symptoms was 4.5 days with a range of 4 h to 25 days. Correct pre-treatment diagnosis was made in 82% of the patients using abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT). The causes of intussusception were organic lesions in 64% of the patients, postoperative in 18% and idiopathic in 18%, respectively. 73% of patients had emergency operations, and an attempt at nonoperative reduction was performed and completed successfully in 3 patients with ileo-colic or colonic type of intussusception. There have been no cases of morbidity or mortality in our series and no recurrence has occurred up to the present time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abdominal ultrasonography and CT were effective tools for the diagnosis of intussusception. Patients with ileo-colic and colonic intussusception without malignant lesions could be good candidates for nonoperative reduction prior to definitive surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery I, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan. homori@mte.biglobe.ne.jp
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Omori
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asahi
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Irinoda
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007443:Intussusception / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies