The management of childhood intussusception in a district hospital.

Fifteen out of 34 infants with intussusception admitted to a district hospital were found to require resection of gangrenous bowel or an anatomical lead point. This resection rate (44 per cent) is considerably higher than those reported from specialist centres which rely on hydrostatic reduction as their primary form of treatment. The difference is probably a reflection of the greater proportion of late cases seen in a district hospital. Complications were virtually confined to those children who had undergone resection and it is concluded that earlier referral to hospital is the single factor most likely to reduce morbidity. Operative management is advocated, although barium enema is a safe valuable adjunct to surgery.