Postoperative small-bowel intussusception in children with cancer

Abstract

The clinical and imaging features of small-bowel intussusception as a complication of abdominal surgery are not well known. Diagnosis may be delayed because symptoms mimic common postoperative complaints. In pediatric cancer patients, the side effects of chemotherapy and symptoms related to the primary malignancy may also obscure the diagnosis. We report the clinical and radiographic features of eight children undergoing evaluation and treatment for solid tumors who developed small-bowel intussusception following laparotomy. These children represent 2.2% of all children and adolescents who underwent laparotomy at a pediatric cancer research and treatment center during a 13-year period. With prompt diagnosis and intervention, morbidity and mortality from this rare but life-threatening postoperative complication can be avoided.