Comparison of different modalities for reducing childhood intussusception.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Idiopathic intussusception is an important abdominal emergency in infancy and childhood. Non operative management for treatment is firstly considered due to less invasiveness, less complications and cost effectiveness compared to surgical treatment. This study summarizes our experience in the management of intussusception in children who were referred to a children hospital.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 102 children who were diagnosed as having intussusception were referred to one children hospital in Tehran during a period of 10 years, from 1997 to 2007. Reductions were performed upon 57 cases by a radiologist or radiology residents, if there was no medical contraindication. We used chi-square test for analysis.

RESULTS

The success rate of reduction was eight out of 13 (61.5%) with barium, nine out of 17 (53.5%) with air and 22 out of 27 (81.5%) with saline (p value=0.116). One patient had recurrence with air reduction. Another case was complicated by peritonitis using barium enema.

CONCLUSION

There was no significant relationship between the success rate of reduction and the type of reduction.