NON-OPERATIVE REDUCTION OF INTUSSUSCEPTION IN INFANTS

Objective: To study the effectiveness of non-surgical intervention in children with intussusception using barium enema reduction under fluoroscopy. Material and Methods: This retrospective study spread over a period of 1 year and six months from January 2005 to June 2006 was carried out in children and maternity hospital, Riyadh medical complex, Riyadh, Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar. A total of 33 patients, diagnosed cases of intussusception, with duration of symptoms not more than 24 hours were included in this study. Barium enema reduction was tried in all patients, exclusion criteria was patients with sign and symptoms of peritonitis, shock, duration of symptoms more than 30 hours and massive abdominal distension. Results: Out of thirty three cases, twenty seven (81.8%) were reduced by barium enema, and only six (18.2%) patients required surgical interventions, five (15.2%) were reduced manually during surgery and only one (3%) required resection and anastomosis a patient in which perforation occurred at splenic flexure during barium enema reduction Conclusion: Surgical intervention in intussusception can be prevented by hydrostatic reduction especially if presented early and no signs of peritonitis.