UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Pediatrics

Title: Intussusception

Keywords: Intussusception, Abdominal Pain, bloody stools, vomitting, change in mental status (PubMed Search)

Posted: 7/14/2007 by Sean Fox, MD (Emailed: 7/8/2007) (Updated: 4/20/2024)
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Intussusception Age: 3months to 6 years, most common among 3-12 months The classic triad: colicky abdominal pain, vomiting, and red currant jelly stools ==> Occurs in only 21% of cases. ==> Currant jelly stools are observed in only 50% of cases. ==> 75% without obviously bloody stools will have positive occult blood. A child vomiting without diarrhea should raise suspicion. Consider it in infant/toddler with change in mental status/lethargy (TIPS AEIOU one of the I s is for Intussusception). Choice of Radiographic Evaluation is often based upon your institutional resources ==> U/S is the modality of choice for imaging, but cannot treat. ==> Air contrast enema (now preferred over saline contrast) is useful for diagnosis and treatment. ==> Both are operator dependent