[Intussusception in children].

The records of 22 children (sex rate boy/girl 1.75, mean age 2 7/12 year) treated for intussusception in Randers Central Hospital during the period 1975-1989 were reviewed. In 27% of the cases this diagnosis was made before admission, gastroenteritis being the most frequent differential diagnosis (18%). The mean duration of symptoms before admission was 24 hours. No significant correlation between low age and late diagnosis was found. Symptoms were vomiting (100%), abdominal colic (95%), palpable abdominal tumour (73%), diarrhoea with blood and mucus (63%) and low-grade fever (64%). Treatment by barium enema had a low success-rate (29%); the best results were recorded in children with symptoms for less than 24 hours. The mean duration of the hospital stay was 3.5 days in children treated by barium reduction and 8.5 days in children treated surgically. Early diagnosis seems to increase the success-rate of non-operative treatment. Absence of the classical triad of paroxysmal pain, abdominal mass and red currant jelly stool (found in 41% of the cases) does not exclude the possibility of intussusception.