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| Quick reference medical handouts used
by Pediatric offices |
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What Is Intussusception?
What Is Intussusception?
Intussusception occurs when one portion
of the intestines slides into the next, much like the pieces of a telescope.
When this occurs, it creates an obstruction in the bowel, with the walls of the
intestines pressing against one another. This, in turn, leads to swelling,
inflammation, and decreased blood flow to the intestines involved.
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SYMPTOMS
OF INTUSSUSCEPTION |
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| Intense abdominal pain that
causes the child to draw the knees up to their chest. The child
strains and cries loudly, and characteristically wants to lie
very still during the attack of pain.The pain
comes and goes and between attacks of pain, the child stops
crying and seems fine. However, each episode becomes more
intense than the one before. |
| Abdominal
swelling |
| Bloody stools mixed with mucus
(medically called "currant jelly stools") |
| Vomiting - the
vomitus is usually golden-brown to green in color (bile) |
| Drowziness |
| Fever in some
infants, but not all |
| Shallow
breathing and grunting |
| An illness that becomes
progressively worse |
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CAUSES
OF INTUSSUCEPTION |
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| The cause of most cases of
intussusception in infants is unknown |
| In older
children, intussusception may follow an episode of
gastroenteritis ("stomach flu") |
| Rotavirus vaccine (no longer given
to children) |
| Enlarged lymph
glands in the intestine |
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If the doctor thinks an intussusception may be
present, a pediatric surgeon will be consulted to examine
the child and decide about treatment. The doctor may order an abdominal X-ray,
which may or may not show an obstruction. An ultrasound
examination may also help make the diagnosis. The treatment is often
surprisingly easy. If early intussusception is suspected, a barium enema will
usually be done to confirm it, and often cure it. The force of the flow of the
barium enema may be enough to force the bowel to move back into place instantly
curing the obstruction. If the barium
enema procedure is mot successful or the child is too ill to attempt the enema, the child will undergo
surgery. Surgeons will try to fix the
obstruction but if too much damage has been done, that part of the bowel will be
removed.
Most babies recover completely from
intussusception, whether or not they have surgery. Occasionally, complications
such as infection can occur if the intussusception is not treated quickly. If
this happens, part of the bowel must be surgically removed.
As a reminder, this information should not be relied on as
medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice of your child’s pediatrician.
Please read our full disclaimer.
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