Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine whether barium enema reduction (BER) is safe and effective in patients with a long duration of intussusception. Over the last 17 years, 104 patients were admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of intussusception. All except 1 with peritonitis underwent BER primarily. Of the 103 intussusceptions treated primarily by BER, 84 (82%) were reduced by the enema alone, whereas 19 (18%) underwent surgical reduction. There were no differences in mean duration of disease between the patients with successful and failed enema reduction (successful: 15 ± 14 h; failures: 14 ± 11 h, P = 0.6). The success rate of BER was 85% within 12 h of symptoms, 76% for 12–24 h, and 71% for more than 24 h. Of 8 cases with a second trial, 4 (50%) were reduced by repeated barium enema. There were no deaths and no intestinal perforations. The success rate of more than 70% even in patients with a long duration of intussusception suggests that BER is safe and effective regardless of the duration of the disease.
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Accepted: 4 September 1998
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Okuyama, H., Nakai, H. & Okada, A. Is barium enema reduction safe and effective in patients with a long duration of intussusception?. Pediatr Surg Int 15, 105–107 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003830050526
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003830050526