Intussusception - Medtick

Intussusception

What is it?

Intussusception is a condition where the bowel is crushed (‘telescopes’) in on itself and/or where movement of stool is blocked causing a bowel blockage, this can lead to a tear/hole in the intestines.

  • This causes the bowel walls to press on one another, blocking the bowel.
  • This can lead to reduced blood flow to that part of the bowel.
  • It is a bit like a getting a sock turned inside itself
  • It is the most common cause of bowel blockage in infants and young children.
  • It tends to happen between the ages of three months  to 18 months.

Great Ormand Street Hospital for Children


  • This condition can occur at any point in the digestive tract but is most often found to occur at the junction between the small and the large intestine.
In baby and children this condition can be mistaken for colic.

This is an emergency medical condition, if a baby/child is non-stop crying and does not calm down and/or is having constant abdominal and/or stomach pain, seek urgent medical advice

Cause

  • Unknown
  • Infection (viral)
  • Physical reason, such as a pocket in the bowel that might get caught and tangled.
  • Polyp, tumor, or abnormal growth in the small intestine
  • Adhesions and/or scar tissue of the intestine
  • Meckel’s diverticulum- This is an outpouching in the wall of the small intestine (present from birth)
  • Intussusception is rare in adults may be due to:

Syndromes

Symptoms

  • Severe abdominal pain that comes and goes (every 15-20 mins) ,each episode tends to last two to three minutes?
  • Baby and/or child is non- stop crying (Infants who have belly pain may pull their knees to their chests when they cry)?
  • Abdominal swelling?
  • Swollen stomach?
  • Faeces (poo) may contain blood and mucus?
  • Child will look very pale, tired and floppy?
  • After 12 hours or so the pain becomes more constant, and the child will usually go off food and may vomit?
  • Dehydrated?
  • Fewer wet nappies than usual and the soft spot (fontanel) on top of the head being sunken?
  • High temperature greater than 38°C (100°F) or over and/or chills and sweats?
  • Diarrhoea?

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Medical Emergency Condition

And/or do not wait, phone for an ambulance if have or develop:

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Intussusception in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).

  • NHS

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