Intussusception Specialists in Karnataka

What is Intussusception?

Intussusception is a serious condition in which one segment of the intestine telescopes or slides into an adjacent segment, much like the sections of a collapsible telescope, causing a blockage and compromising blood flow to the affected bowel. It is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in young children, typically occurring between three months and three years of age, and requires prompt diagnosis and treatment since prolonged obstruction can lead to tissue death within the trapped segment of bowel. It is considered a pediatric emergency due to how quickly it can progress if left untreated.

Causes of Intussusception

In most young children, the exact triggering cause is not identified, though it is often preceded by a viral infection that causes swelling of lymphoid tissue in the intestinal wall, which can act as a lead point for the telescoping. In older children, a specific structural lead point such as a polyp, Meckel's diverticulum, or lymphoma is more likely to be identified. The telescoping segment drags its blood supply along with it, progressively compromising circulation to the trapped bowel.

Symptoms of Intussusception

Sudden onset of severe, intermittent abdominal pain causing the child to draw their knees up and cry, vomiting, lethargy between painful episodes, a sausage-shaped abdominal mass that may be felt on examination, red, jelly-like stool mixed with blood and mucus, pale or ashen appearance, refusal to feed

Treatment & Types of Intussusception in Karnataka

Prompt diagnosis, typically confirmed with ultrasound, allows for treatment with a non-surgical air or contrast enema, which uses controlled pressure to push the telescoped bowel back into its normal position and is successful in the majority of cases when performed early. If the enema is unsuccessful, or if there are signs of bowel perforation or severe illness, emergency surgery is required to manually reduce the intussusception or remove any damaged segment of bowel. Recurrence can occur and warrants prompt re-evaluation.

In young children, intussusception is most often idiopathic without a specific identifiable lead point, typically following a viral infection that swells lymphoid tissue in the bowel wall; in older children and adults, it is more often associated with a defined pathologic lead point, such as a polyp, Meckel's diverticulum, or tumor, that triggers the telescoping.

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