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.