Intussusception in children: a ten year review

Abstract

Sixty six cases of intussusception were admitted to ESCH, Addis Ababa over a 10 year period. Males dominated in the series. Age distribution showed that 69.7% of the cases were < or = 1 year old, and 85% were < or = 2 years old. Abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody mucoid diarrhoea and mass palpated abdominally and/or rectally were the commonest modes of presentations. Intussusception occurred more often in well nourished children, but was rare in severely malnourished ones. An underlying intestinal pathology was found in two cases only. The mortality was high probably because the majority of cases presented late for medical attention. The need for early medical advice, diagnosis and intervention should reduce the mortality.