Intussusception

Celiac Disease and Intussusception: A Common Association in Children

OBJECTIVES

In young childhood, intestinal intussusception (IS) is the most common cause of small bowel obstruction. A lead point such as Meckel diverticulum, polyps, tumors, enlarged lymph nodes, cystic fibrosis, and Schoenlein-Henoch purpura are recognized causes. Association between celiac disease (CD) and IS has been well recognized in adults but rarely in children. Data on causes and outcome of intussusception among Saudi children are lacking in the literature. Our objectives were to characterize the pattern of IS among Saudi children and investigate the frequency, clinical presentation, and outcome of intussusception among children with CD.

METHODS

We searched the hospital's picture archiving and communications system for abdominal imaging studies (ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography scan, and barium contrast studies), performed between 2008 and 2019, using "intussusception" as a search key word. The hospital medical records of the identified cases of intussusception (aged 0-14 years) were then retrospectively reviewed to collect demographic, clinical, laboratory and imaging findings, management, and outcome.

RESULTS

During the study period, 57 cases were identified as confirmed IS (31 boys, median age 1.95 years, range 0.33-11 years). Abdominal ultrasound was the diagnostic imaging study in 93%. An underlying cause (secondary IS) could be identified in 19 (33.3%) cases: CD in 6, malignancy and Henoch-Schoenlein purpura, 5 each, and Meckel diverticulum in 3; the remaining 38 (66.6%) cases of IS were idiopathic (primary IS). The presence of hypoalbuminemia and abdominal distension were significantly associated with secondary IS as compared with primary IS ( P < 0.001, P = 0.006, respectively). All of the 6 cases of IS associated with CD resolved spontaneously, but 3 were recurrent.

CONCLUSIONS

Secondary causes contributed to a large proportion of IS in our study cohort (33%) as compared with 5% to 10% in the literature. Celiac disease is an underrecognized cause of IS among children. A child with IS and hypoalbuminemia, anemia, or chronic diarrhea needs to be investigated for CD to avoid unnecessary surgery.

Adult Ileocolic Intussusception Secondary to Cecal Lipoma: A Case Report

Large intestinal intussusception is rare in adults. Among potential pathologic lead points for intussusception are lipomas, benign tumors very infrequently found in the large bowel. A 30-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with a chief complaint of generalized abdominal pain for two weeks. A computed tomography scan of her abdomen and pelvis showed an ileocolic intussusception with a lead point of 6.7 cm. The lead point appeared to be predominantly fat. A colonoscopy revealed a large, obstructing lesion in the transverse colon. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy with a right hemicolectomy, and a pathologic diagnosis of a lipoma was made. The patient recovered from surgery without complications and returned to her normal diet three weeks after discharge. This case highlights an unusual and rare presentation of an ileocolic intussusception caused by a cecal lipoma acting as a lead point.

Small bowel intussusception - aetiology & management

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Adult small bowel intussusception (SBI) differs in incidence, symptomatology and management from the more commonly encountered paediatric intussusception. This review spans across the multitude of causes of adult SBI, and summarises the diagnostic work-up and management options according to recent literature.

RECENT FINDINGS

There has been an increase in use of small bowel capsule endoscopy and point-of-care ultrasound for the diagnosis of acute adult SBI.

SUMMARY

A high degree of suspicion of a malignant cause of SBI is required in the adult population. Alarm clinical features include weight loss, history of malignancy, and iron deficiency anaemia. CT remains the gold standard imaging technique as it may identify the lead point and thus aid in endoscopic or surgical management. If malignancy is excluded and no lead point is identified, serology and histology may be helpful to look for inflammatory, infective and autoimmune aetiology.

Is enema reduction in pediatric intussusception with a history of over 48 h safe: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Intussusception is one of the most common acute abdominal diseases in children. Enema reduction is the first-line treatment for intussusception in good condition. Clinically, a history of disease over 48 h is usually listed as a contraindication for enema reduction. However, with the development of clinical experience and therapy, an increasing number of cases have shown that the prolongation of the clinical course of intussusception in children is not an absolute contraindication for enema treatment. This study aimed to analyze the safety and efficacy of enema reduction in children with a history of disease longer than 48 h.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective matched-pair cohort study of pediatric patients with acute intussusception between 2017 and 2021. All patients were treated with ultrasound-guided hydrostatic enema reduction. According to the length of history, the cases were classified into two groups: history <48 h (<48 h group) and history greater than or equal to 48 h (≧48 h group). We generated a 1:1 matched-pair cohort matched for sex, age, admission time, main symptoms, and concentric circle size on ultrasound. Clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups, including success, recurrence, and perforation rates.

RESULTS

From January 2016 to November 2021, 2701 patients with intussusception were admitted to the Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University. A total of 494 cases were included in the ≧48 h group, and 494 cases with a history of <48 h were selected for matched comparison in the <48 h group. The success rates of the ≧48 h and <48 h groups were 98.18% vs. 97.37% (p = 0.388), and the recurrence rates were 13.36% vs. 11.94% (p = 0.635), showing no difference according to the length of history. The perforation rate was 0.61% vs. 0%, respectively, with no significant difference (p = 0.247).The comparison of the different history groups showed that in patients with bloody stools, the length of history had no significant effect on the enema reduction outcome(94.90% vs. 86.76%, p = 0.064).

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasound-guided hydrostatic enema reduction is safe and effective for pediatric idiopathic intussusception with a history of ≧48 h.

Intussusception as a presentation of Burkitt’s lymphoma: a case series

Background Intussusception remains one of the most common emergencies in pediatrics. It typically occurs between six months and three years of age, but it can be observed in all age groups. Intussusception usually presents with traditionally described symptoms; however, it is believed that the older the patient, the higher the risk of an existing pathological lead point, which could be associated with less characteristic symptoms. It is crucial to make a timely diagnosis when intussusception is caused by a malignancy, such as Burkitt’s lymphoma, as the treatment of limited-stage Burkitt’s lymphoma has become very successful in recent years. Aim of the study The authors performed an analysis of all patients who presented to the clinic with intussusception caused by Burkitt’s lymphoma to determine whether there are characteristic symptoms in this group of patients that would enable faster implementation of oncological diagnostics. Case series Four patients with an average age of eight years presented with intussusception as the first sign of Burkitt’s lymphoma. They usually presented with a history of recurrent abdominal pain lasting for a few weeks. In three cases, a pathological lead point was visualized during the initial ultrasound examination. All of the patients were treated surgically. The stage of disease ranged from I to III, according to the St. Jude staging system. Conclusions Based on our small group of patients, we were able to observe some characteristic symptoms that are different from those most commonly seen in spontaneous intussusception: several weeks of recurrent abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. These observations are consistent with the spectrum and frequency of symptoms reported in the literature. The presence of a constellation of specific clinical features should allow clinicians to immediately suspect neoplastic diseases.

Review of Over 15 Years Postmarketing Safety Surveillance Spontaneous Data for the Human Rotavirus Vaccine (Rotarix) on Intussusception

Introduction

Rotavirus (RV) is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in children <5 years of age worldwide, and vaccination reduces the disease burden. Evidence from postmarketing surveillance studies suggested an increased risk of intussusception (IS) in infants post-RV vaccination. An overall positive benefit–risk balance for the human RV vaccine (HRV) Rotarix (GlaxoSmithKline [GSK], Belgium) has been established and recent findings indicate an indirect effect of reduced IS over the long term.

Objective

The aim of this study was to discuss spontaneous data from the GSK worldwide safety database on IS post-Rotarix administration.

Methods

The database was reviewed for all spontaneous IS cases from 2004 to 2020. Additionally, an observed versus expected (O/E) analysis was done for adverse events attributed to IS. Data were reviewed as overall worldwide and stratified by region (Europe/USA/Japan) and dose.

Results

A male predominance of IS patients was observed, consistent with earlier reports. The most frequently reported events in confirmed IS cases (Brighton Collaboration Working Group [BCWG] level 1) with time to onset ≤ 30 days post-vaccination were vomiting (55.8%), haematochezia (47.2%), and crying (21.1%). The observations from the IS spontaneous cases review and results of the O/E analysis are consistent with the known IS safety profile of RV vaccines: a transient increased incidence of IS post-vaccination (primarily in Europe/Japan/worldwide), mostly within 7 days postdose 1.

Conclusion

Since the outcomes of early IS management are favourable over delayed management, healthcare professionals should inform parents about the importance of seeking immediate medical advice in case of unusual behaviour of the vaccinated infant. GSK continues to monitor the IS risk post-Rotarix administration through routine pharmacovigilance activities.

Graphic abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40264-021-01141-4.

Rotavirus (RV) is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis and a major cause of death in young children worldwide. Vaccination has been instrumental in reducing the impact of RV disease. Real-world evidence suggests an increased risk of intussusception (an infrequent type of bowel obstruction) in infants following RV vaccination. We reviewed IS cases reported spontaneously worldwide in children following a two-dose vaccination with the human RV vaccine (Rotarix, GlaxoSmithKline [GSK]) since its launch in 2004. We observed that (1) IS occurred more frequently 7 days after the first dose and, to a lesser extent, after the second dose; (2) boys were more frequently affected than girls (56.3%); (3) of 862 confirmed reported cases, 557 required hospitalisation; and (4) surgical intervention was required for 294 of 557 hospitalised cases. We used statistical analysis to assess whether the number of cases observed would be higher or lower than the natural occurrence of IS (irrespective of vaccination). These results were in line with the known RV vaccine safety profile. It is important to constantly monitor the real-world safety profile of RV vaccines in the postmarketing setting. Since the outcomes of early management of IS are favourable compared with delayed management, healthcare professionals should inform parents to seek immediate medical advice if they observe unusual behaviour in their vaccinated child. In conclusion, our analyses on data of a large patient pool for this rare event reinforce the favourable safety profile of human RV vaccine and the benefits of vaccination in young children.

A retrospective study about incidental appendectomy during the laparoscopic treatment of intussusception

PURPOSE

We aim to see incidental appendectomy (IA) was worth or not during the laparoscopic treatment of intussusception.

METHODS

This study included forty-eight patients who underwent a laparoscopic procedure for idiopathic intussusception without intestinal resection between April 2014 and April 2021. The Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests for categorical variables and the Student t-test for continuous variables were used to analyze and compare patient characteristics.

RESULTS

IA was performed on 63% (30/48) of patients after surgical reduction, while 18 (37%), did not. Patients who underwent IA had a higher total cost (16,618 ± 2,174 vs.14,301 ± 5,206, P = 0.036), and a longer mean operation duration (59 ± 19 vs.45 ± 21, P = 0.025). The distribution of the PO time, length of hospital stay, PCs, and RI did not differ significantly. The histopathological evaluation of the 30 resected appendices revealed five (17%) with signs of acute inflammation, 20 (66%) with chronic signs of inflammation, and five (17%) with inconspicuous appendices.

CONCLUSION

IA is linked to a longer average operation time and a higher total cost. There is insufficient evidence to recommend IA during laparoscopic intussusception treatment. The risks and benefits of IA need further study.

Effectiveness of the implementation of pediatric intussusception clinical pathway: A pre- and postintervention trial

Intussusception is common among children at the pediatric emergency department (ED) with acute abdomen. Diagnosis and treatment delay remain a challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of intussusception clinical pathways (CPs) implementation, including bedside point-of-care ultrasonography, on patient management in a pediatric ED.In January 2017, an intussusception management protocol was implemented for children with symptoms of intussusception. We retrospectively examined the charts of patients diagnosed with intussusception during the preprotocol (January 2015 to December 2016) and postprotocol (January 2017 to January 2019) periods and compared their outcomes.A total of 106 and 108 patients were included in the preprotocol and postprotocol groups, respectively. After CP implementation, the median door-to-ultrasonography time decreased from 66.5 (range: 13, 761) to 54 (20, 191) minutes; meanwhile, door-to-reduction time decreased from 121.5 (37, 1077) to 80.5 (40, 285) minutes; the median ED length of stay decreased from 440 to 303.5  minutes; and finally, admission rate increased from 18.9% to 40.7% (P < .01). There was no between-group difference in the rates of complications, readmission, emergency surgery, or reduction failure.The implementation of an intussusception CP decreased time-to-diagnosis, time-to-treatment, and ED length of stay estimates among children screened using point-of-care ultrasonography. The present findings suggest that the implementation of an intussusception CP may improve the efficiency of time and resource use.

Evaluation of bedside sonography performed by emergency physicians to detect intussusception in children in the emergency department

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study was to evaluate the test characteristics of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) performed by emergency physicians with varying levels of experience among children having undergone diagnostic radiology ultrasound for intussusception in a pediatric emergency department (PED).

METHODS

This was a subanalysis of a prospective cohort study conducted at a tertiary care PED. The study population was a sample of children younger than 5 years old who required an abdominal ultrasound for suspected intussusception. Participating physicians had varying levels of POCUS experience. They received a 1-hour didactic and practical training session on intussusception ultrasound. All POCUS was performed following the initial physical examination and prior to further radiologic evaluation. The final outcome was determined by radiologic evaluation performed by a pediatric radiologist. Test characteristics were calculated for POCUS compared with the criterion standard of ultrasound read by a pediatric radiologist. A secondary analysis compared test characteristics of POCUS performed by physicians with different level of POCUS training.

RESULTS

A total of 131 children were evaluated by POCUS, of whom 45 (34%) had an intussusception. Twenty-four physicians performed between one and 25 POCUS procedures. POCUS identified 39 of 45 intussusception cases, with a sensitivity of 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.74 to 0.94). A normal or inconclusive POCUS was reported for 83 of the 86 negative studies, with a specificity of 0.97 (95% CI = 0.90 to 0.99). When excluding the 28 patients for whom the physician reported an inconclusive examination, the sensitivity improved to 0.98 (95% CI = 0.97 to 1.00) and the specificity to 0.94 (95% CI = 0.85 to 0.99). The accuracy of diagnosis using POCUS was 42 of 43 (98%) for experienced sonographers in comparison to 81 of 88 (92%) for novices.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated a very good sensitivity and specificity of POCUS for intussusception in children when performed by multiple emergency physicians with varying POCUS experience.

Clinical Characteristics According to Age and Duration of Symptoms to Be Considered for Rapid Diagnosis of Pediatric Intussusception

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether clinical findings in children with ileocolic intussusception differ based on age and duration of symptoms and to assess the clinical characteristics of diagnosed and undiagnosed patients to determine which symptoms make diagnosis more difficult. Methods: We reviewed 536 medical records of <15-year-old children diagnosed with ileocolic intussusception between 2008 and 2019. We divided the children into three categories according to age (<1 year, 1-2 years, and ≥2 years). The children were also divided into two groups based on whether symptoms lasted for more or <6 h. Diagnosed and undiagnosed children were assessed separately during for the initial evaluation. Results: Following analysis of the three age groups, bloody stool, post-enema bloody stool, diarrhea, vomiting, poor oral intake, and lethargy were more frequent in children aged <1 year. In children aged ≥2 years, non-specific abdominal pain was more frequent and the undiagnosed rate was higher. Following analysis of the duration of symptoms, paroxysmal pain was significantly more frequent in the early group (<6 h), and bloody stool and fever were significantly more frequent in the late group (≥6 h). Nonspecific abdominal pain was more frequent and the door-to-diagnosis time was significantly longer in the undiagnosed group than in the diagnosed group. Conclusions: Clinical findings of ileocolic intussusception vary depending on the age and duration of symptoms. Younger children with paroxysmal pain, vomiting, bloody stool, poor oral intake, or lethargy should be suspected of having intussusception. In older children, non-specific abdominal pain without bloody stool may be a symptom of intussusception. Glycerin enema is helpful in diagnosing intussusception in children with no typical symptoms.

Incidence of recurrent intussusception in young children: A nationwide readmissions analysis

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Recurrent intussusception following successful nonoperative reduction has previously been reported with a frequency of 8%-12% based on data from individual institutions. Meanwhile, the timing of discharge after successful reduction continues to be debated. Here, we evaluate readmissions for recurrent intussusception in young children using a large-scale national database.

METHODS

The National Readmissions Database (2010-2014) was queried to identify young children (age < 5 years) diagnosed with intussusception. We compared procedures performed during the index admission and frequency of readmissions for recurrent intussusception. Results were weighted for national estimates.

RESULTS

We identified 8289 children diagnosed with intussusception during an index admission. These patients received definitive treatment with nonoperative reduction alone (43%), surgical reduction (42%), or bowel resection (15%). Readmission for recurrent intussusception was required for 3.7% of patients managed with nonoperative reduction alone, 2.3% of patients that underwent surgical reduction, and 0% of those that underwent bowel resection. Median time to readmission was 4 days after nonoperative reduction, and only 1.5% of these patients experienced recurrence within 48 h of discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Recurrent intussusception may be substantially less common than previously reported. Our findings support the practice of discharge shortly after successful nonoperative reduction.

TYPE OF STUDY

Retrospective, prognosis study.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Comparison Between Small and Large Bowel Intussusception in Children: The Experience of a Large Tertiary Care Pediatric Hospital

BACKGROUND

Intussusception is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in young children, and delayed diagnosis may lead to serious sequelae. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of ileoileal intussusception and to document and compare clinical outcomes with ileocolic intussusception.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of children with an abdominal ultrasound that diagnosed intussusception. Clinical data and diagnostic studies were retrieved, to compare ileoileal with ileocolic intussusception.

RESULTS

A total of 488 patients were evaluated with an abdominal ultrasound on suspicion of intussusception; 54 (11%) had ileoileal intussusception and 30 (6%) ileocolic intussusception. The significant features distinguishing the 2 conditions were fever, more common in patients with ileoileal intussusception, and an abdominal mass, which was papable more commonly in ileocolic intussusception. None of the ileoileal intussusception patients required surgical intervention, and all were discharged without complication.

CONCLUSIONS

With recent advances in abdominal ultrasound, the diagnosis of ileoileal intussusception has become easier than before. Patients presenting with small bowel intussusception may not need any immediate intervention. The presence of fever supports the diagnosis of ileoileal intussusception.

Small bowel-small bowel intussusception with high grade obstruction due to intramural submucosal ileal hamartoma in a 5-year-old child: A case report

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Intussusception in children can present with evidence of small bowel obstruction.

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Ultrasound can show a pathologic lead point which requires surgical intervention.

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Surgery should begin with a laparoscopic approach and converted to open procedure if needed.

Introduction

Intussusception is a common cause of emergency in children. We report a unusual case of intestinal obstruction due to small bowel-small bowel intussusception with an intestinal hamartoma as the lead point.

Presentation of the case

A 5 year old boy presented to the ED with worsening abdominal pain, emesis and bloody diarrhea. An abdominal radiograph showed evidence of small bowel obstruction and US confirmed a small bowel-small bowel intussusception with a likely cystic mass as the lead point. Given these findings, surgery was performed and revealed an intestinal hamartoma as a lead point.

Discussion

Intussusception in children is mostly idiopathic and usually amenable to reduction by air enema. The presence of a lead point is unusual and usually requires surgical intervention.

Conclusion

We report an unusual case of intussusception with small bowel obstruction due to intestinal hamartoma, a rare pathologic finding as a lead point for intussusception. Ultrasound was useful for diagnosing the intussusception and confirming the presence of a lead point.

Fever as a Presenting Symptom in Children Evaluated for Ileocolic Intussusception: The Experience of a Large Tertiary Care Pediatric Hospital

BACKGROUND

Intussusception is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in young children, and delayed diagnosis may lead to bowel perforation. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of fever in patients with ileocolic intussusception and to determine its utility as a predictive symptom.

METHODS

This was a 3-year retrospective study, at a tertiary care center, of children aged 1 month to 6 years, presenting with possible intussusception. Charts were reviewed for clinical signs and symptoms at presentation, and all diagnostic studies were retrieved. A pediatric radiologist reviewed all ultrasounds.

RESULTS

A total of 488 ultrasounds were performed on suspicion of intussusception. In 30 patients with confirmed ileocolic intussusception, mean age was 27 months and all were successfully reduced by air enema. Of 118 patients with fever, 2 had confirmed intussusception, 1 with pneumonia and 1 with acute otitis media, compared with 116 febrile patients with negative ultrasounds (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Traditional teaching is that intussusception presents as intermittent colicky abdominal pain, red currant jelly stool, vomiting, and a palpable abdominal mass, but it is important to remember that this classic triad is a very late finding and this condition should be recognized before the development of these findings. The concurrence of fever can help to rule out the possibility of intussusception and prompt the health care professional to search diligently for alternative infectious etiologies but cannot eliminate the possibility, especially when other findings suggestive of intussusception are present.

Rotavirus: Genetics, pathogenesis and vaccine advances

Since its discovery 40 years ago, rotavirus (RV) is considered to be a major cause of infant and childhood morbidity and mortality particularly in developing countries. Nearly every child in the world under 5 years of age is at the risk of RV infection. It is estimated that 90% of RV-associated mortalities occur in developing countries of Africa and Asia. Two live oral vaccines, RotaTeq (RV5, Merck) and Rotarix (RV1, GlaxoSmithKline) have been successfully deployed to scale down the disease burden in Europe and America, but they are less effective in Africa and Asia. In April 2009, the World Health Organization recommended the inclusion of RV vaccination in national immunization programs of all countries with great emphasis in developing countries. To date, 86 countries have included RV vaccines into their national immunization programs including 41 Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization eligible countries. The predominant RV genotypes circulating all over the world are G1P[8], G2P[4], G3P[8], G4P[8], and G9P[8], while G12[P6] and G12[P8] are emerging genotypes. On account of the segmented genome, RV shows an enormous genetic diversity that leads to the evolution of new genotypes that can influence the efficacy of current vaccines. The current need is for a global RV surveillance program to monitor the prevalence and antigenic variability of new genotypes to formulate future vaccine development planning. In this review, we will summarize the previous and recent insights into RV structure, classification, and epidemiology and current status of RV vaccination around the globe and will also cover the status of RV research and vaccine policy in Pakistan.

Safety study of live, oral human rotavirus vaccine: A cohort study in United States health insurance plans

As part of a regulatory commitment for post-licensure safety monitoring of live, oral human rotavirus vaccine (RV1), this study compared the incidence rates (IR) of intussusception, acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) hospitalization, Kawasaki disease, convulsion, and mortality in RV1 recipients versus inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) recipients in concurrent (cIPV) and recent historical (hIPV) comparison cohorts. Vaccine recipients were identified in 2 claims databases from August 2008 – June 2013 (RV1 and cIPV) and January 2004 – July 2008 (hIPV). Outcomes were identified in the 0–59 days following the first 2 vaccine doses. Intussusception, Kawasaki disease, and convulsion were confirmed via medical record review. Outcome IRs were estimated. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were obtained from Poisson regression models. A post-hoc self-controlled case series (SCCS) analysis compared convulsion IRs in a 0–7 day post-vaccination period to a 15–30 day post-vaccination period. We identified 57,931 RV1, 173,384 cIPV, and 159,344 hIPV recipients. No increased risks for intussusception, LRTI, Kawasaki disease, or mortality were observed. The convulsion IRRs were elevated following RV1 Dose 1 (cIPV: 2.07, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.27 – 3.38; hIPV: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.24 – 3.38), a finding which is inconclusive as it was observed in only one of the claims databases. The IRR following RV1 Dose 1 in the SCCS analysis lacked precision (2.40, 95% CI: 0.73 – 7.86). No increased convulsion risk was observed following RV1 Dose 2. Overall, this study supports the favorable safety profile of RV1. Continued monitoring for safety signals through routine surveillance is needed to ensure vaccine safety.

A Case of Jejunal Intussusception caused by Burkitt Lymphoma in an Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Patient

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of B-cell type is the second most common neoplasm after Kaposi's sarcoma among patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. Most non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cases that are associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) involve extranodal sites, especially the digestive tract and the central nervous system. We report a case of multiple jejunal intussusception caused by Burkitt lymphoma in a 42-year-old AIDS patient. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and surgical biopsy were performed and a complete diagnostic study including histological and immunohistochemical analyses showed Burkitt lymphoma.

Is There a Causal Relationship between Intussusception and Food Allergy?

Although intussusception and food allergy are common health problems in childhood, the relation between these two diseases remain obscure. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between food allergy and intussusception, and the factors associated with both. Patients diagnosed with intussusception by the Brighton Collaboration Intussusception Working Group criteria were prospectively investigated for food allergy per the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) Guideline. They were analyzed per demographic features, clinical, physical and laboratory findings. There were eight (38.1%) patients diagnosed with food allergy, while 13 (61.9%) patients were non-allergic. The mean number of days of presenting symptoms was 1.13 days in the allergy group and 7.85 days in the non-allergy group. The mean number of intussusception attacks was 1.63 in the allergy group while 1 in the non-allergy group (p < 0.05, relative risk (RR) = 2.6). In the allergy group, one (13%) patient was followed up, six (75%) patients were reduced with pneumatic and one (13%) patient reduced manually. In the non-allergy group, four (31%) patients were followed up, six (46%) patients were reduced with pneumotic, one (7%) patient was reduced manually, and resection anastomosis was performed in two (15%) patients. Food allergy is an unrecognized associated factor for intussusception patients, which increases the risk for recurrence. Due to the small patient population, these results should be interpreted with caution.

A comparison of hydrostatic reduction in children with intussusception versus surgery: Single-centre experience

BACKGROUND

Intussusception is the most common cause of bowel obstruction in infancy and childhood. Early diagnosis and effective management have reduced its morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Non-surgical reduction remains the first-line treatment of choice for intussusception. The major complication of air enema reduction is bowel perforation and portal venous gas. In recent years, several techniques have been recommended for intussusception treatment. In this study, an evaluation was made of intussusception cases that presented at our clinic and had reduction applied together with saline under ultrasonography and cases, which were surgically treated. Our aim of this study is to evaluate the results of hydrostatic reduction under ultrasound guided and to compare the results with patients treated by surgery for the management of intussusception.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective study was done of the records of 100 cases treated for a diagnosis of intussusception between April 2011 and April 2013, in Department of Paediatric Surgery, Zagazig University Hospital. Patients were evaluated demographics, clinical presentation and management strategy, during the hospitalisation and outcome.

RESULTS

This study includes 100 patients diagnosed with intussusception, sixty males and forty females, the age ranged between 1 month and 7 years old. Ultrasound was applied for all patients as a part of diagnosis. Hydrostatic reduction under ultrasound guide was applied to fifty patients, successful hydrostatic reduction was seen in thirty patients and unsuccessful hydrostatic reduction was seen in twenty patients which admitted for surgery, we did not do another chance of hydrostatic reduction for unsuccessful patients, open surgery was done for seventy patients, during surgery, we found ileocolic intussusception in forty patients, ileoileal in twenty patients and colocolic intussusception in ten patients. Leading point of intussusception was seen in 22 patients, Meckel's diverticulum in ten patients, polyp in five patients and lymphoma in seven patients. Manual reduction was done in forty patients and resection anastomosis was done in thirty patients. No mortality in any case.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound-guided hydrostatic reduction of intussusception is a safe technique which reduces the duration of hospitalisation and treatment costs.

Intussusception-related Hospitalizations Among Infants Before and After Private Market Licensure of Rotavirus Vaccines in Taiwan, 2001-2013

INTRODUCTION

Rotavirus is a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis among Taiwanese children. Two globally licensed rotavirus vaccines recommended for inclusion in routine immunization programs that have been available for private market use in Taiwan since 2006 have been associated with a low risk of intussusception in postmarketing studies conducted in several countries. Our objective was to examine trends and characteristics of intussusception hospitalizations in Taiwan among children <12 months of age before and after rotavirus vaccine licensure to provide updated baseline and early postlicensure data.

METHODS

We extracted data on intussusception-related hospitalizations among children <12 months of age during 2001-2013 from the National Health Insurance Research Database. We examined patient demographics, clinical outcome and hospitalization trends, focusing on recommended ages for rotavirus vaccination (6-14, 15-24 and 25-34 weeks). We compared mean hospitalization rates for prevaccine licensure years 2001-2005 with those for postvaccine licensure years 2007-2013 using Poisson regression analysis.

RESULTS

During 2001-2013, 1998 intussusceptions hospitalizations were recorded. The mean age of hospitalization was 33 weeks. Almost all children recovered; 3 deaths occurred. The overall intussusception hospitalization rate was 75.1 per 100,000; seasonality was not evident. Hospitalization rates were greatest in children ≥25 weeks of age and occurred more frequently in boys. Prevaccine and postvaccine licensure trends in annual hospitalization rates did not significantly differ. However, mean hospitalization rates were lower during the postvaccine licensure period for children <12 months of age (rate ratio: 0.84, 95% confidence interval: 0.76-0.92) with the greatest decline among children 25-34 weeks of age (rate ratio: 0.66, 95% confidence interval: 0.55-0.78).

CONCLUSIONS

Infant intussusception in Taiwan occurs at a rate within the range of other Asian countries is rare among children <3 months of age, has a male predominance and does not have a clear seasonality pattern. We did not observe a postlicensure increase in intussusception hospitalization rates in children 6-14 weeks of age.

Epidemiology of childhood intussusception in Bangladesh: Findings from an active national hospital based surveillance system, 2012-2016

INTRODUCTION

Rotavirus vaccines have significantly decreased the burden of diarrheal diseases in countries that have introduced them into their immunization programs. In some studies, there has been a small association between rotavirus vaccines and intussusception in post-marketing surveillance, highlighting the importance of tracking incidence before and after vaccine introduction. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of intussusception among Bangladeshi children pre-vaccine introduction.

METHODS

We conducted active, hospital-based surveillance for intussusception at 7 tertiary care hospitals with pediatric surgical facilities during July 2012 to September 2016. Hospitalized children under 2years of age were identified according to Brighton Collaboration level 1 criteria for intussusception. The frequency and proportion of intussusception among overall surgical admissions, as well as the demographic and clinical information of the cases is described.

RESULTS

Overall 153 cases of intussusception among children <2years-old were identified at participating sites over the enrolment period, confirmed by Level 1 Brighton criteria. These cases represented 2% of all surgical admissions under 2years of age. One hundred twelve cases (73%) were male; the median age was 7months; and the median duration of hospitalization was 7days. One hundred forty-six (95%) children with intussusception required surgery, and 11 (7%) died.

CONCLUSIONS

Confirmed cases of intussusception represented nearly 2% of pediatric surgical admissions at tertiary referral centers in Bangladesh during the study period and 7% of children with intussusception died. Given the high burden of rotavirus disease in Bangladesh, vaccine introduction is warranted, however, further studies after introduction of rotavirus vaccine are necessary to determine any association between vaccine and intussusception in this setting.

Rotavirus vaccination and intussusception - Science, surveillance, and safety: A review of evidence and recommendations for future research priorities in low and middle income countries

As of January 2016, 80 countries have introduced rotavirus vaccines into their national immunization programs. Many have documented significant declines in rotavirus-specific and all-cause diarrheal illnesses following vaccine introduction. Two globally licensed rotavirus vaccines have been associated with a low risk of intussusception in several studies. In July 2014, the Rotavirus Organization of Technical Allies Council convened a meeting of research and advocacy organizations, public health experts, funders, and vaccine manufacturers to discuss post-marketing intussusception surveillance and rotavirus vaccine impact data. Meeting objectives were to evaluate updated data, identify and prioritize research gaps, discuss best practices for intussusception monitoring in lower-income settings and risk communication, and provide insight to country-level stakeholders on best practices for intussusception monitoring and communication. Meeting participants agreed with statements from expert bodies that the benefits of vaccination with currently available rotavirus vaccines outweigh the low risk of vaccination-associated intussusception. However, further research is needed to better understand the relationship of intussusception to wild-type rotavirus and rotavirus vaccines and delineate potential etiologies and mechanisms of intussusception. Additionally, evidence from research and post-licensure evaluations should be presented with evidence of the benefits of vaccination to best inform policymakers deciding on vaccine introduction or vaccination program sustainability.

Childhood intussusception: Impact of delay in presentation in a developing country

BACKGROUND

The classical cases of intussusception are readily diagnosed clinically, and despite recent improvements in radiological techniques, the diagnosis of intussusception and success in its nonoperative reduction has been suboptimal, thus making operative management a veritable backup. This study examined the impact of delays in presentation on the rate of bowel resection, length of hospital stay, and appraised the outcome of operative treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective study of consecutive children admitted and treated surgically for intussusception between January 2002 and December 2011 at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.

RESULTS

The mean age at presentation was 13.4 months with a male: female ratio of 1.8:1. Fourteen patients (25.5%) presented within the first 24 h of onset of symptoms with majority (36.4%) presenting between 2 and 3 days of onset of symptoms. The primary surgical intervention was performed on 47 patients (85.5%), and the secondary operative intervention was performed on eight patients (14.5%) who had failed initial nonoperative management of intussusception. Manual reduction of intussusception was performed on 27 patients (49.1%), 26 patients had resection of gangrenous bowel with end-to-end anastomosis while two patients (3.6%) had spontaneous reduction of intussusception which was discovered at laparotomy. The mean duration of hospital stay was 12.1 days (range 3-60 days). The overall mortality was 5.5% (three patients), and three patients (5.5%) had recurrence of intussusception.

CONCLUSION

Although mortality is reducing, a high rate of bowel resection is a consequence of delayed presentation and effort should be made to make an early diagnosis of intussusception and make prompt referral to improve outcome.

Intussusception:

Intussusception, the invagination of one portion of the intestine into another, is considered a true emergency, which most commonly affects pediatric patients. It occurs when bowel (small or large) telescopes within itself, creating an obstructive mass. Peristalsis exacerbates the more proximal bowel into the lesion, causing the intussusception to have a “sleeve”-like shape. The lesion propagates distally, with obstructive ischemia and possible necrosis occurring over time. With the improvement of technology in diagnostic imaging, sonography has become the initial imaging modality of choice. The authors present a case study and current review of the literature regarding intussusception from a sonographer's viewpoint.

Abdominal radiography is not necessary in children with intussusception

BACKGROUND

Children with intussusception require rapid and accurate diagnosis to enable timely intervention for satisfactory outcome. Ultrasonography is the recommended standard diagnostic modality; however, abdominal radiography (AR) is still used as an initial investigation. The aim of this study was to investigate the benefit of AR in intussusception by determining diagnostic accuracy and analysing correlation of AR findings with outcome.

METHODS

Index cases of intussusception presenting over 15 years (1998-2013) were analysed. Those who had AR performed were allocated into groups with positive or normal findings. Outcome of pneumatic reduction of intussusception (PRI) between these groups was compared.

RESULTS

Six hundred and forty-four cases of intussusception treated with PRI were identified, 412 (64 %) had AR performed and 232 (36 %) did not. 303 (74 %) radiographs had positive findings and 109 (26 %) were normal. The success rate of PRI did not differ between AR positive (82 %) and AR normal (84 %). Occult pneumoperitoneum was not detected in any patient by AR in our cohort.

CONCLUSION

AR is not recommended for the diagnosis of intussusception in children, for the prediction of the outcome of PRI or for the detection of occult pneumoperitoneum. AR should always be performed when clinical peritonism is present but is not otherwise necessary in children with suspected or confirmed intussusception.

Fluoroscopy-guided hydrostatic reduction of intussusception in infancy: role of pharmacological premedication

PURPOSE

Intussusception is one of the most common causes of paediatric emergency. Fluoroscopy-guided hydrostatic reduction is a common nonoperative management strategy for the treatment of intussusception. The role of pharmacological premedication in increasing the success rate of hydrostatic reduction is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to verify the presence of a possible correlation between pharmacological premedication and the percentage of hydrostatic reduction of intussusception in paediatric patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study considered children with a diagnosis of idiopathic intussusception treated at our hospital between January 2007 and June 2013. One group of patients underwent hydrostatic reduction by barium enema without any preliminary therapy. A second group of patients received pharmacological premedication with both a sedative and an anti-oedematous agent before the procedure.

RESULTS

A total of 398 patients were treated with barium enema for therapeutic purposes. In the group of patients who received no premedication (n = 254), 165 (65 %) children achieved hydrostatic reduction of the intussusception. Among the patients who received pharmacological premedication prior to barium enema (n = 144), 122 (85 %) children achieved resolution of the intussusception.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that the use of pharmacological premedication is effective for the reduction of the intussusception, as its limit patient stress, fluoroscopic time and radiation dose.

Childhood intussusceptions at a tertiary care hospital in northwestern Tanzania: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in resource-limited setting

BACKGROUND

Intussusception remains a common cause of bowel obstruction in children and results in significant morbidity and mortality if not promptly treated. There is a paucity of prospective studies regarding childhood intussusception in Tanzania and particularly the study area. This study describes the pattern, clinical presentations and management outcomes of childhood intussusception in our setting and highlights the challenging problems in the management of this disease.

METHODS

This was a prospective descriptive study of patients aged < 10 years operated for intussusception at Bugando Medical Centre. Ethical approval to conduct the study was obtained from relevant authorities. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 17.0.

RESULTS

A total of 56 patients were studied. The male to female ratio was 3.3: 1. The median age was 6 months. Three-quarter of patients were < 1 year. Etiology was mainly idiopathic in 91.1% of cases. The classic triad of bloody stool, vomiting and abdominal distention/abdominal pain was found in 24 (42.5%) patients. The diagnosis of intussusception was mainly clinically in 71.4% of cases. All patients were treated surgically. Ileo-colic was the most frequent type of intussusception (67.9%). Twenty-six (46.4%) patients required bowel resection. The rate of bowel resection was significantly associated with late presentation > 24 hour (p = 0.001). Complication rate was 32.1% and surgical site infection (37.5%) was the most frequent complication. The median length of hospital stay was 7 days. Patients who had bowel resection and those who developed complications stayed longer in the hospital and this was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Mortality rate was 14.3%. Age < 1 year, delayed presentation, associated peritonitis, bowel resection and surgical site infection were the main predictors of mortality (p < 0.001). The follow up of patients was generally poor

CONCLUSION

Intussusception in our setting is characterized by late presentation, lack of specialized facilities and trained personnel for nonsurgical reduction. Therefore, surgery remains the main stay of treatment in our centre. A high index of suspicion and proper evaluation of patients is essential for an early diagnosis and timely definitive treatment, in order to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with this disease.

An institutional analysis and systematic review with meta-analysis of pneumatic versus hydrostatic reduction for pediatric intussusception

BACKGROUND

Intussusception remains a frequent cause of bowel obstruction in children and typically is treated by reduction via enema. Controversy persists regarding the optimal reduction technique to maximize success while minimizing morbidity.

METHODS

We reviewed our institutional data comparing outcomes of enema reduction that use contrast medium versus air. A systematic review also was undertaken of comparative studies evaluating pneumatic (oxygen or air) versus hydrostatic (any contrast medium) reduction. Critical appraisal was performed with the Methodological Index for Non Randomized Studies scale for observational studies, Jadad score for randomized trials. Meta-analysis was performed with REVMAN 5.1.

RESULTS

Institutional data revealed a failed reduction rate of 20.4% (20/98) with air and 29.6% (8/27) with contrast reduction. Nineteen studies were included in the systematic review. The cumulative failure rate favored pneumatic reduction (odds ratio [OR] 0.45; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.34-0.60); sensitivity analysis of prospective studies demonstrated similar results (OR 0.39; 95% CI 0.24-0.63). The number needed to treat to eliminate one failed reduction was nine pneumatic reductions. No difference was noted in reported perforations (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.48-2.03).

CONCLUSION

Pneumatic reduction is more likely to successfully reduce intussusception in children without evidence of increased morbidity. In the context of available expertise, pneumatic reduction should be the method of choice for the treatment of intussusception barring an indication for immediate operative intervention.

Should intussusception in children prompt screening for celiac disease?

OBJECTIVES

An association between adult celiac disease (CD) and intussusceptions (ISs) has been described. Although more common among children, intussusception has not been linked with childhood CD aside from isolated case reports. Our aim was to investigate the frequency of IS among children with CD.

METHODS

A patient database containing children with biopsy-proven CD was reviewed, in addition to radiology records contained in a hospital-maintained clinical data repository.

RESULTS

Of 254 children with biopsy-proven CD and complete records available for review, abdominal imaging was performed in 21%, mainly because of abdominal pain. Among children with CD, 1.2% experienced an IS <9 months before their diagnosis with CD. Among children seen at our institution in the same time period, 0.07% experienced an IS. The majority of those children with CD who were found to have IS had no evidence of nutritional deficit at the time of IS. IS was not identified in any children with CD who had been treated with a gluten-free diet.

CONCLUSIONS

IS was far more common among children in our cohort with untreated CD than in the general pediatric population simultaneously seen at our center. The diagnosis of CD should be considered in children with IS, even in the absence of signs of nutritional compromise.

External manual reduction of paediatric idiopathic ileocolic intussusception with US assistance: a new, standardised, effective and safe manoeuvre

BACKGROUND

The ultimate goal in the management of paediatric ileocolic intussusception is to achieve non-operative reduction and therefore patient cure. The standard non-surgical treatment consists of enema (air or liquid media).

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to present external manual reduction for paediatric ileocolic intussusception. We present a new manoeuvre that is standardised, simple, safe and effective for the radiologist in the non-surgical management of this pathology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

External manual reduction is performed under sedation. Execution of the manoeuvre is detailed and illustrated. The procedure was carried out 15 times in 13 paediatric patients with idiopathic ileocolic intussusception.

RESULTS

Complete reduction exclusively by external manual reduction was accomplished on 12 occasions (80%). In the remaining three procedures, partial reduction to the cecum was obtained. Subsequent enema achieved complete reduction in two. Overall non-surgical reduction rate was 93%.

CONCLUSION

External manual reduction is a radiation-free, safe and effective procedure. In case of incomplete reduction, it facilitates enema performance. External manual reduction incorporates and additional initial step in the non-surgical reduction of intussusception and should be considered a first-line procedure.

Intussusception: clinical presentations and imaging characteristics

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of clinical findings associated with intussusception based on age and to evaluate the test characteristics of the presence of air in the ascending colon on abdominal radiographs and the effectiveness of ultrasound in diagnosing intussusception.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study via chart review at a tertiary care center from January 2002 to December 2008. All children, aged 0 to 17 years, were identified with intussusception by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnostic coding. Charts were reviewed for clinical signs and symptoms at presentation, and all diagnostic studies were retrieved. A pediatric radiologist reviewed all films and ultrasounds.

RESULTS

A total of 219 patients were identified with intussusception. One hundred thirty-two (60%) of patients were male; 127 (60%) were younger than 1 year (median, 7 months), 59 (27%) were 13 to 35 months (median, 23 months), and 33 (15%) were 3 years or older (median, 5 years). Children younger than 12 months were more likely to present with emesis, irritability, and guaiac-positive or grossly bloody stools compared with children older than 12 months (P < 0.05). In children older than 12 months, abdominal pain was the most common symptom (>96%). Plain films were performed in 192 children, and of these, 163 (85%) had no air present in the ascending colon. Abdominal ultrasound was performed on 63 patients, with 58 (92%) having findings consistent with intussusception.

CONCLUSIONS

Abdominal pain is the most common complaint in all ages for children presenting with intussusception. In children younger than 12 months, the strongest clinical predictors are emesis, irritability, and blood in the stool. For diagnosing intussusceptions, radiographs of the abdomen performed well, but ultrasound performed better, diagnosing intussusception in 92% of the cases.

Abdominal pain in children

Abdominal pain is one of the most common reasons pediatric patients seek emergency care. The emergency physician must be able to distinguish diagnoses requiring immediate attention from self-limiting processes. Pediatric patients can be challenging, particularly those who are preverbal, and therefore, the clinician must rely on a detailed history from a parent or caregiver as well as a careful physical examination in order to narrow the differential diagnosis. This article highlights several pediatric diagnoses presenting as abdominal pain, including surgical emergencies, nonsurgical diagnoses, and extraabdominal processes, and reviews the clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, and management of each.

Ileocecal intussusception with histomorphological features of inflammatory neuropathy in adenovirus infection

The pathophysiological mechanisms for ileocecal intussusception in children with adenovirus infection are not well characterized. Here we demonstrate coincidence of adenovirus infection and inflammatory neuropathy of myenteric plexus in two children with ileocecal intussusception. Inflammatory neuropathy, an unspecific morphological feature which is found in peristalsis disorders, was morphologically characterized by the influx of CD3 positive lymphocytes in nervous plexus. To our knowledge, this is the first report suggesting peristalsis disorders from inflammatory neuropathy as additional mechanism in the pathophysiological concept of adenovirus-associated ileocecal intussusception.

Intussusception in children--clinical presentation, diagnosis and management

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of patients with intussusception, with special regard to the duration of symptoms, referral from other hospitals, outcome and complications related to delayed diagnosis.

METHODS

This retrospective study was performed using hospital charts, ultrasound and radiological reports and surgical notes from patients treated in our institution from 1996-2005.

RESULTS

Altogether 98 patients were included in the study. The study revealed idiopathic intussusception in 95% of the cases. The remaining patients presented with Meckel's diverticulum and schwannoma of the small bowel. We used ultrasound as the primary modality for diagnosis in all the patients, with a diagnostic accuracy of 100% in our study. Conservative treatment using an air enema was successful in 79.5% of cases. A higher rate of surgical intervention was found in patients who had symptoms for more than 24 h and in referred patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Particular attention needs to be paid to the rapid diagnosis and appropriate treatment of intussusception. Uncertain cases should be urgently referred to specialised paediatric centres. Ultrasound should be the diagnostic method of choice, since it is very effective in making this diagnosis. The first treatment option for intussusception remains the enema. Delayed diagnosis leads to an increased number of open surgeries.

Intussusception due to non Hodgkin's lymphoma; different experiences in two children: two case reports

In children, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has been found to be the lead point in intussusception involving the terminal ileum. We present here two cases of ileal primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma which presented as intussusception, highlighting the differing presentations of these children and their outcome, with a brief review of the literature.

Role of astrovirus in intussusception in Nigerian infants

Intussusception (IS) is a form of intestinal obstruction in which a segment of the bowel prolapses into a more distal segment. Viral infections, mostly adenovirus, enteroviruses, human herpesvirus and Epstein-Barr virus are reported in 20-50% of childhood cases of IS. Between January and July 2004, six stool specimens collected from infants 0- to 8-months old diagnosed and admitted for IS were investigated for the presence of rotavirus, astrovirus and adenovirus antigens. Astrovirus antigen was detected in three of the six stool specimens by enzyme immune assay (EIA) and confirmed in two specimens by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Rotavirus, non-enteric adenovirus and astrovirus were detected by EIA, as mixed infections in a single specimen. The rotavirus strain revealed a SGI+II, mixed G1G2G8P[6] genotype and had no visible electrophoretic profile. A larger study is needed to determine the extent of involvement of astroviruses in IS in infants and the virus should be included in studies investigating the aetiology of IS.

Intussusception associated with a Meckel's diverticulum and a duplication cyst

Intussusception is a frequent cause for bowel obstructions and pediatric surgical consults. First described by Barbette in 1674, the etiology and treatment of intussusception has undergone several revisions for the last 300 years. Currently, we understand most intussusceptions in young children to be of idiopathic in nature with the incidence of pathologic lead points increasing with the age of the child. Although both Meckel's diverticulum and duplication cysts have both been reported numerous times in the past as a source of a lead point, we report, to our knowledge, the only case of both found in a child requiring operative reduction.

Intussusception

Intussusception is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in children between 3 months and 6 years. Intussusception occurs when a more proximal portion of bowel invaginates into more distal bowel. These patients often present with a wide range of non-specific symptoms, with less than one quarter presenting with the classic triad of vomiting, abdominal pain, and bloody stools. Thus, the diagnosis continues to rely on clinical suspicion. This review article discusses the clinical presentation of intussusception and the state-of-the art diagnostic and treatment options, as well as a review of the pertinent literature.

Trends in intussusception hospitalizations among US infants, 1993-2004: implications for monitoring the safety of the new rotavirus vaccination program

OBJECTIVES

In 2006, a new rotavirus vaccine was recommended for routine immunization of US infants. Because a previous rotavirus vaccine was withdrawn in 1999 after it was associated with intussusception, monitoring for this adverse event with the new vaccine is important. The objectives of this study were to assess intussusception hospitalizations trends among US infants for 1993 to 2004; provide estimates of hospitalization rates for intussusception for 2002-2004; and assess variations in background rates by age, race/ethnicity, and surgical management.

METHODS

By using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's State Inpatient Database that captures US hospital discharges from 16 states representing 49% of the birth cohort during 1993-2004 and from 35 states representing 85% of the birth cohort in 2002-2004, we examined hospitalizations among infants (<12 months of age) with an International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code for intussusception (560.0). Incidence rates were calculated by using census data, and rate ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated by using Poisson regression data.

RESULTS

Annual intussusception hospitalization rates declined 25% from 1993 to 2004 but have remained stable at approximately 35 cases per 100,000 infants since 2000. Rates were very low for infants younger than 9 weeks (<5 per 100,000) then increased rapidly, peaking at approximately 62 per 100,000 at 26 to 29 weeks, before declining gradually to 26 per 100,000 at 52 weeks. Compared with rates among non-Hispanic white infants (27 per 100,000), rates were greater among non-Hispanic black infants (37 per 100,000) and Hispanic infants (45 per 100,000); however, rates did not differ by race/ethnicity for infants who were younger than 16 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

This assessment of US hospitalizations provides up-to-date and nationally representative prevaccine rates of intussusception. Because rates varied almost 12-fold by week of age and to a lesser extent by race/ethnicity during the age of vaccination, adjusting baseline rates to reflect the demographics of the vaccinated population will be crucial for assessing risk for intussusception after rotavirus vaccination.

Tension pneumoperitoneum after intussusception pneumoreduction

Intussusception is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in infancy. Presentation, diagnostic workup, and treatment are well understood and noncontroversial. Complications of bowel perforation are also well documented. We discuss a case of tension pneumoperitoneum after intestinal perforation during intussusception pneumoreduction in a 5-month-old child and review initial presentation, diagnosis, and management of this disease. It is important to recognize this rare complication of pneumoreduction and promptly treat the ensuing tension pneumoperitoneum.

Radiographic reduction of intussusception in patients with cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder affecting approximately one in 2,500 births in the United States. Nearly 1% of patients with CF will develop intussusception, which is commonly ileocecal and felt to be secondary to inspissated feces. These patients generally present before the age of ten. Once the diagnosis of intussusception is confirmed on ultrasound or CT, surgery has been the mainstay of treatment in this patient group. We propose the use of air and contrast enemas as effective and beneficial non-operative approach in these patients. Clinical and imaging findings in four children with known CF who presented with intestinal intussusception, average age 13.25 +/- 5.3 years (range 8-18 years) were reviewed. Patients were diagnosed using ultrasound (n = 3) or abdominal CT (n = 1). All patients suffered from an ileocolic intussusception. Air and Gastrografin(R) enemas were used in an attempt to reduce the intussusception. There were six separate successful intussusception reductions in four patients. Three patients required multiple attempts (2.3 +/- 0.6). Air enemas were used initially in all cases. Gastrografin(R) was used successfully following the failure of air enema in one patient. One patient suffered three separate intussusceptions over a period of 18 months, which were all successfully reduced using air. There were no complications and the patients tolerated the procedure well. Intussusception is an uncommon but serious complication in children with CF. While surgical reduction has been the mainstay of treatment for these patients, we demonstrated that reduction of an intussusception using air or contrast can be accomplished safely, without anesthesia, and should be the initial treatment option.

Small bowel intussusception after blunt abdominal trauma in a 6-year-old boy: case report and review of 6 cases reported in the literature

Although intussusception is a well-known cause of acute abdomen in the pediatric population, traumatic intussusception is exceedingly rare and has been reported previously only 6 times in a preadolescent child. We present a case of ileoileal intussusception in a previously healthy 6-year-old boy after blunt trauma to the abdomen and review the English language literature on the subject.

Molecular epidemiology of adenovirus isolates from patients diagnosed with intussusception in Melbourne, Australia

Twenty-one intussusception (IS)-associated and 59 temporally linked adenoviral isolates from clinical infections were compared. Species C (15/21 IS- and 32/59 non-IS-associated isolates) dominated. Of these, serotype 2 (AdV-2) (7/15 IS-associated isolates) and serotype 1 (AdV-1) (16/32 non-IS-associated isolates) were the most commonly identified serotypes. DNA restriction analysis of AdV-2 isolates identified six genomic types; of these, type D2 (3/7 IS- and 8/11 non-IS-associated isolates) was the dominant type after BamHI and SmaI digestion. IS-associated isolates are similar to circulating non-IS-associated strains.

Intussusceptions arising from two different sites in a child with cystic fibrosis

Abdominal pain is common in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). We report on a 17-year old boy with CF and two recognized intussusceptions: the first colonic intussusception was presumed due to distal intestinal obstruction syndrome, and the second enteric one due to polypoid lesions containing heterotopic gastric mucosa. The presentation, pathology, management, and a literature review of intussusception in CF are discussed.

Success with hydrostatic reduction of intussusception in relation to duration of symptoms

BACKGROUND

It is widely believed that hydrostatic reduction of intussusception is less successful in children with prolonged symptoms prior to presentation.

AIM

To prospectively evaluate success in relation to duration of symptoms.

METHODS

Prospective study in which children, regardless of symptom duration, underwent an attempt at hydrostatic reduction.

RESULTS

Of 113 children presenting with intussusception, 16 had peritonitis and required immediate laparotomy. A hydrostatic reduction was attempted in 97 and was successful in 77 (79%). There were 26 successful reductions with symptoms <12 hours (81%), 30 with symptoms for 12-24 hours (81%), and 21 with symptoms >24 hours (75%).

CONCLUSION

The success rate with hydrostatic reduction was not significantly influenced by symptom duration.

The imaging of intussusception

Intussusception is defined as the telescoping of one segment of the gastrointestinal tract into an adjacent one. It is relatively common in children and is the second most common cause of an acute abdomen in this age group. It is much less common in adults and accounts for less than 5% of cases of mechanical small bowel obstruction. Whereas the diagnosis is usually already suspected in children before imaging, it is often made unexpectedly in adults. In addition, although in children there is usually no specific underlying cause, an underlying lead point is often present in adults. Plain film radiography, barium studies and ultrasound imaging play major roles in both the diagnosis and management of this condition, and it is increasingly common for the diagnosis to be made by CT and MRI, particularly in adults. This pictorial essay reviews the imaging features that may be found in patients with bowel intussusception. As well as describing the imaging features of the more commonly used tests, we also stress the role of emerging technologies such as MRI using ultrafast half-fourier sequences with single shot turbo spin echo.