Intussusception

Intussusception is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in infancy and early childhood. It occurs when one segment of bowel (the intussusceptum) invaginates into an adjacent distal segment of bowel (the intussuscepien). The classic presentation is with intermittent abdominal pain, vomiting and redcurrant jelly-like stool. Diagnosis can be accurately confirmed with an ultrasound scan. Initial management is with fluid resuscitation and antibiotics. Following adequate resuscitation, treatment is usually with a non-operative air enema reduction under fluoroscopic guidance. If this fails to completely reduce the intussusception, the air enema may be repeated in patients that are clinically stable. The main risks associated with an air enema are bowel perforation, failed reduction and recurrence. Surgical intervention is indicated in patients presenting with perforation, those that are clinically unstable or where multiple air enemas have failed to reduce the intussusception. Surgery can be performed open or laparoscopic and involves attempted manual reduction of the intussusception and may require bowel resection and anastomosis.     

Intussusception

Intussusception is the invagination of a segment of bowel into the distal adjacent bowel. Mostly it involves the distal ileum and proximal colon and no lead point can be identified. It is the most common cause of bowel obstruction in infants and young children. It typically presents in infants between 2 months and 2 years of age with episodic severe colicky abdominal pain, vomiting that progresses to being bilious, abdominal distension, and bleeding per rectum which is classically described as ‘redcurrant jelly’ stool. If not diagnosed and treated promptly the pathology will progress to bowel necrosis, sepsis and death.     

Intussusception Complicating Pregnancy following Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the most common bariatric surgical procedure in the USA in women of reproductive age. A pregnant patient presented with nonspecific upper abdominal pain and nausea, suggesting an internal hernia. At surgery, an intussusception was identified and reduced without complications. Obstetricians should be familiar with late serious complications of bariatric surgery.     

Evaluation of the role of dexamethasone in decreasing early recurrence of intussusception: Using ultrasound‐guided saline enema for reduction

Aim: Intussusception is the most common abdominal emergency during early childhood. The current initial management by contrast enema or pneumatic reduction under fluoroscopy carries the risk of radiation. In case of recurrence, the repeated attempts for another reduction will also increase this risk, in addition to other risks of operative reduction, if needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound‐guided saline enema reduction (USGSER) in the diagnosis and treatment of intussusception, and to assess the value of using dexamethasone injection in preventing or minimizing the frequency of recurrence. Patients and methods: The study included 75 cases with intussusception presented from August 2006 until July 2010 to Assiut University Children's Hospital. They were randomly classified into two groups: group A (GA; 40 cases) received three doses of i.m. dexamethasone, once before starting reduction and every 8 h thereafter; group B (GB; 35 cases) did not receive dexamethasone. The success, failure and recurrence rates after USGSER in the two groups were reported. Results: Ultrasonography was diagnostic in all cases. Successful USGSER was obtained in 33 of 40 cases in GA, and in 27 of 35 cases in GB. The recurrence of intussusception was encountered in one case of GA, and in five cases of GB postreduction; all were treated successfully by USGSER. Failure of USGSER with subsequent laparotomy occurred in 15 cases; (7 from GA, and 8 from GB) where manual reduction could be obtained in nine cases, while resection anastomosis was necessary in six cases. Conclusion: USGSER is a safe, easy and cost‐effective modality of treatment for intussusceptions, without the risk of radiation. Dexamethasone might help in decreasing the frequency of recurrence.     

Adult Intussusception of Appendicular Mucinous Cystoadenoma

Intussusception is a rare cause of adult intestinal obstruction. Clinical manifestations are not specific, which makes a preoperative diagnosis difficult to establish and often causes delay. We report a case of acute intestinal obstruction due to ileocolic intussusception. An emergency laparoscopy was performed revealing an obstructive mass at the ileocecal region resulting from an appendicular tumor. A right hemicolectomy was conducted. The pathologic examination of the resected sample concluded the mass comprised an appendicular mucinous cystoadenoma. We discuss the clinical features, preoperative diagnosis, and surgical strategies of adult intussusception, as well as the uncommon finding of an appendicular mucinous tumor as its causative lesion, with a review of the available literature.     

INTUSSUSCEPTION IN CHILDHOOD: A REVIEW OF 139 CASES

A retrospective survey of 128 patients, representing 139 instances of proven intussusception is reviewed. An initial hydrostatic enema reduction attempt was performed in 75% of cases, with 50% of these being successful. A high recurrence rate of 18.4% followed the hydrostatically reduced cases, compared with 2.7% for the surgically treated. Hydrostatic reduction was particularly unsuccesful in infants less than six months of age, when the duration of symptoms exceeded 12 hours and when the presentation is painless. Earlier surgery is recommended for these children.     

CHILDHOOD INTUSSUSCEPTION IN A REGIONAL HOSPITAL

This study reviews all childhood intussusceptions treated over a 6 year period in a regional centre with six visiting general surgeons and two paediatricians. Clinical presentation, management, complications and outcomes were noted and an attempt was made to follow up all cases. There were 20 patients, with a median age of 6 months (range 10 weeks to 17 months). Only one patient had all four classical features of intussusception (pain, vomiting, 'red currant jelly' stools and abdominal mass). Seven patients were managed successfully by barium enema reduction, but 14 required operation, four following failed radiological reduction. There was one intestinal perforation due to attempted barium enema reduction and one patient required a reoperation for ileal gangrene following operative reduction. There were no deaths and there have been no subsequent recurrent intussusceptions although three cases were lost to follow up. There was a delay in diagnosis in some cases (average duration from onset to diagnosis was 34 h). Although delay was incurred by parents in some cases and in peripheral hospitals in others, there is a need for greater awareness by surgeons of the significance of subtle features such as pallor and lethargy in a child with persistent vomiting. Delay in diagnosis is likely to lead to an increased need for primary surgical intervention. Adverse features (age > 3 months or < 2 years; symptoms > 24 h; small bowel obstruction; dehydration > 5%) were predictive of an increased likelihood of surgical resection, and may help avoid inappropriate attempts at radiological reduction. A protocol for the management of suspected childhood intussusceptions may improve results in regional centres that treat small numbers of cases.     

Intussusception in infants and young children

Intussusception is defined as the invagination of a proximal segment of intestine (intussusceptum) into the more distal segment (intussuscipiens) leading to bowel obstruction. Although this pathology usually afflicts infants aged between 2 months and 2 years and involves the distal ileum and proximal colon, it can be seen at any age. Patients may initially have a subtle presentation but if missed can result in cardiorespiratory collapse and death. Any young child, especially if aged between 2 months and 2 years, presenting with rectal bleeding, vomiting, abdominal pain or a mass or cardiovascular compromise should have the diagnosis of intussusception considered. Circulatory resuscitation is essential before any attempt is made at reduction. Ultrasound usually confirms the diagnosis and radiological reduction is successful in 80% of patients.     

General anaesthesia may improve the success rate of hydrostatic reductions of intussusception

Intussusception is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in young children. Hydrostatic enemas result in a successful reduction of intussusception in 50% to 80% of patients. Failure to achieve reduction with hydrostatic enema results in laparotomy, although a frequent finding upon exploration is complete reduction of the intussusception, presumably due to induction of general anaesthesia. Recent paediatric literature suggests that induction of general anaesthesia may improve the success rate of therapeutic hydrostatic enema. We report a difficult case of recurrent intussusception where the induction of general anaesthesia alone did not result in reduction of intussusception, but successful reduction by enema was achieved while the patient was anaesthetized.     

Ileo-Ileal Intussusception Due to Inverted Meckel’s Diverticulum

Meckel’s diverticulum is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastro-intestinal tract. It is generally asymptomatic. Occasionally, it may cause some complications such as bleeding, obstruction, diverticulitis and intussusception. We present a case of a 21-year-old female with intussusception due to inverted Meckel’s diverticulum. Diagnosis and therapy of inverted Meckel’s diverticulum is a subject of debate because of its rarity and the limited number of reports in the literature.     

影响急性肠套叠X线下空气灌肠复位相关因素的对比研究

目的总结分析小儿急性肠套叠病例,提高小儿急性肠套叠的X线下空气灌肠复位成功率和减少并发症。方法选取2013年以来近3年资料完整、诊断明确急性肠套叠600例,进行相关因素的统计学分析,从而找出小儿急性肠套叠X线下空气灌肠复位的影响因素。结果本组600例,实施空气灌肠586例,成功544例,失败42例,手术53例,无死亡病例,X线下空气灌肠治疗肠套叠总体成功率为92.83%。术中发现继发性肠套叠10例;患儿的年龄、血便的量、腹胀、X线下包块的形状、发病时间以及病理类型是影响肠套叠空气灌肠复位成功与否的重要因素,肥胖、发热对肠套叠复位无明显影响。结论小儿急性肠套叠年龄小、发病时间长、血便量大、腹胀、套叠位置深在等复位率低;回回结型肠套、形态呈分叶状不宜强行复位;全身状况差的患儿复位时需谨慎,低压力试行复位失败后尽早行手术治疗,从而达到提高复位成功率、减少并发症的目的。     

“Twist & Slide” Bowel Obstruction: Two Different Rare Causes of Adult Bowel Obstruction in the Same Patient

A man, age 68, presented with two rare clinical entities of adult bowel obstruction. This case showed a caeco-colic intussusception (due to a caecal malignant lesion) with a small bowel volvulus secondarily. These are rare but potential life-threatening surgical emergencies.     

The demise of the instant/unprepared contrast enema in large bowel obstruction

Objective  Imaging the colon in suspected acute large bowel obstruction (LBO) is traditionally carried out with a supine abdominal X-ray (AXR) and erect chest X-ray. If there is no clinical or radiological evidence to suggest a perforation, then an unprepared barium or water-soluble contrast enema (CE) can be performed to confirm the presence of and demonstrate the site of obstruction. The advent of modern, fast multidetector CT (MDCT) scanners has changed management strategies for acute abdominal conditions including suspected LBO in all groups of patients especially the elderly, infirm and those on ITU/HDU.
Method  A retrospective case note analysis was carried over a 7-year period in a single centre. The study criteria involved investigation of suspected LBO with CE, CT and MDCT.
Results  It showed a reduction in the number of contrast enemas performed.
Conclusion  MDCT was shown to be more accurate in the diagnosis of LBO, is usually available on a 24-h basis, and in many institutions has replaced the urgent CE in this group of patients. This also has the advantage of excluding incidental findings and in staging malignant disease.     

Intussusception secondary to a carcinoid tumor in an adult patient

INTRODUCTIONIntussusception in adult patients represents 5% of all intussusceptions and 1–5% of bowel obstructions in adults. In contrast to pediatric patients, 90% of the time, in adults, it's caused by well-established pathologic mechanisms, such as carcinoma, polyps, diverticula, Meckel diverticula, stenosis, or benign neoplasms. Small intestine intussusceptions are more frequent, but colonic intussusceptions are caused 50% of the time by malignant neoplasms, especially adenocarcinoma.PRESENTATION OF CASEWe present a 70-year-old woman, with no relevant familial history, who presented with a 3-day symptomatology consisting of epigastric, colic, diffuse, abdominal pain of moderate intensity, which progressed till reaching a severe intensity, also referring abdominal distension, nausea, and gastrointestinal-content vomits.DISCUSSIONIn adult patients, the exact mechanism of intussusception is unknown in 8–20% of the cases, however, secondary intussusception can occur with any lesion of the intestinal wall or any irritant factor in its lumen that alters normal peristaltic activity and that could serve as a trigger to start an intussusception of one bowel segment over another the most common site is the small intestine.CONCLUSIONIntussusception represents an unusual problem in adult patients; it requires a high clinical suspicion, mainly as a differential diagnosis in patients with intestinal obstruction, and it clinically presents as a subacute or chronic illness. CT represents the most useful diagnostic tool. An attempt to perform reduction procedures in small intestine intussusceptions can be done, however, in ileocolic or colonic intussusceptions, a formal resection of the segment is recommended.     

间苯三酚对提高小儿肠套叠空气灌肠复位效果的研究

【摘要】 目的 探讨间苯三酚对小儿肠套叠空气灌肠复位的影响效果。方法〓将我院接诊的小儿肠套叠空气灌肠患儿120例作为研究对象,患者分为4组,每组各30例。观察组采取肠套叠空气灌肠+间苯三酚+安定处理(P+V+AE),对照组1采取安定+肠套叠空气灌肠处理(V+AE),对照组2采取山莨菪碱+安定+肠套叠空气灌肠处理(A+V+AE),对照组3单纯实施肠套叠空气灌肠(AE),对比分析4组复位成功率、复发率、不良反应发生率及医疗费用。结果〓处理组在复位成功率、复发率、不良反应发生率及医疗费用上均显著优于其余三组(P<0.05);P+V+AE与V+AE组效果均明显优于AE组(P<0.05),但V+AE与A+V+AE对比无显著性差异(P>0.05)。结论〓间苯三酚应用在小儿肠套叠空气灌肠中可提高复位成功率,降低不良反应,同时减少医疗费用。     

Intussusception secondary to endometriosis of the cecum

INTRODUCTION

Intussusception in adults is a rare cause of bowel obstruction. Endometriosis of the bowel is also a rare entity that can be the cause of bowel obstruction. Here, we report a rare case of intussusception secondary to endometriosis of the cecum.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 40-year-old woman presented to the hospital with a one-week history of intermittent epigastric pain. On physical examination, there was a soft, round non-tender palpable mass in the right flank and abdominal computed tomography scan revealed an intussusception. We made the diagnosis of ileo-colic intussusception and performed ileocecal resection. The surgical specimen revealed a round submucosal cystic mass in the cecum and the histology showed endometriosis of the cecum.

DISCUSSION

Intussusception in adults is a rare entity present in just 1% of all patients with bowel obstruction, and 5% of all intussusceptions. In general, intussusception in adults has a pathologic lesion as the lead point and the lesion is a malignancy in 20–50% of the cases. Thus, the treatment of an intussusception in adults should be operative. Endometriosis of the bowel is a rare cause of intussusception. Small endometriosis lesions of the bowel are unlikely to cause symptoms; however, in patients presenting with bowel obstruction, urgent treatment is indicated.

CONCLUSION

Intussusception in an adult is a rare cause of bowel obstruction and intussusception caused by endometriosis is also rare. Although rare, the diagnosis of endometriosis as a cause of intussusception must be considered as part of the differential diagnosis.     

Intussusception in adults: a retrospective study

Objective Intestinal intussusception in adult patients is rare. In contrast with paediatric patients, it is usually secondary to a definable lesion, often malignant. The purpose of this study was to determine the causes and the management of intussusception in adult patients. Method A retrospective review was performed looking at patients over 18 years with intestinal intussusception who were admitted to a tertiary university hospital from 1997 to 2007. Result There were 16 patients (out of whom 10 were female subjects) of mean age 49 years (range 19–76). All presented with abdominal pain and in seven (46.6%) patients, this was acute. The diagnosis of intussusception was correctly made preoperatively in eight (50%) patients. Six (37.5%) patients had the lead point for the intussusception at the ileocaecal valve, five (31.25%) in the small bowel and five (31.25%) had a colonic lead point. An anatomical cause was found in 14 (87.5%). In two (12.5%), the intussusception occurred in the postoperative period without any definable lesion. Half the patients had a malignant neoplasm. All patients underwent surgery. In 14 (87.5%) patients, this was by resection and in two (12.5%), a reduction with no resection was carried out. Conclusion The features of intussusception may be nonspecific and the diagnosis is often made only during laparotomy. An identifiable organic lesion is present in most cases. En bloc resection is recommended for ileocaecal and colocolic intussusception.