Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsDiagnostic ChallengesRisks If UntreatedEmergency TreatmentCausesOutlook
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Diagnostic Challenges
Risks If Untreated
Emergency Treatment
Causes
Outlook
Intussusceptionis a condition in which part of the intestine moves inside itself in a telescoping effect. This causes abdominal pain and other symptoms. It can lead to a lack of blood flow to the intestine and blockages so that food and fluids can’t move through the intestine normally. It is more common in babies and children than others but can also occur in adults.
In children, intussusception is often treated with an air or water enema that pushes the intestine back into place. Children may also need surgery, but this is more common in adults. Left untreated, intussusception can be life-threatening.
This article will explore intussusception symptoms, diagnosis, emergency treatment, and outlook in children and adults.
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Complete List of Intussusception Symptoms
The symptoms of intussusception can vary between people and also between kids and adults.
Intussusception Symptoms in Children
Making a diagnosis might be more challenging in babies and small children because they can’t tell adults and healthcare providers about their symptoms. Babies, in particular, may have signs of illness that are nonspecific, such as inconsolable crying, fussiness, and lethargy.About 1 to 2 per 1,000 babies and children younger than 3 years develop intussusception.
About half of all children have symptoms of what’s considered the “classic triad” of intussusception: vomiting, intermittent abdominal pain, and bloody stool that looks like currant jelly. In a retrospective study of almost 600 children with intussusception, the most common symptoms were identified as:
Intussusception Symptoms in Adults
In adults, the signs and symptoms of intussusception may be nonspecific,meaning they are similar to those from several other digestive problems. The most common symptom is abdominal pain. It can take time to rule out various other disorders and get the correct diagnosis.
Symptoms in adults may include:
Challenges of Identifying Intussusception in Infants and Adults
For both children and adults, diagnosing intussusception can be difficult. This is because the symptoms aren’t the same from person to person and can be similar to many other conditions.
Intussusception in Children
The signs and symptoms of intussusception are variable in babies and kids. This can make it difficult for healthcare providers to know which patients should be evaluated for intussusception. The age of the child also makes a difference (such as infants vs. teens).
Some of the other conditions that might be considered along with intussusception—a process of elimination called differential diagnosis—include the following.
Infants and toddlers less than 2 years old:
Preschoolers between 2 and 5 years old:
Kids between 5 and 12 years old:
Intussusception in Adults
In adults, intussusception is rare. For people who seek care from a healthcare provider for a bowel obstruction, only about 1% are diagnosed with intussusception.
Of adults that have intussusception, many are first misdiagnosed with another condition or have a delayed diagnosis. About half are not diagnosed until they have surgery and the condition is found.
The reason for the delay or the misdiagnosis could be because the symptoms of intussusception in an adult are similar to many other more common digestive problems. The list of other conditions that might be ruled out might include:
Risks of Untreated Intussusception Symptoms
If intussusception goes undiagnosed and untreated, it could lead to serious outcomes. One of the potential complications is a lack of blood getting to the intestines. Without blood flow, the intestinal tissue may start to die.
A section of the intestine that has died might tear, creating a hole (perforation). If the contents of the intestine (stool) get into the abdomen, it can cause a serious infection calledperitonitis.
Some of the possible complications of untreated intussusception include:
When to Seek Care for Abdominal Pain
Emergency Treatment for Intussusception Symptoms
The most common treatment for intussusception in children is the use of an enema. This can take different forms and could use air or saline (salt water). The movement of the air or fluid through the intestine can reverse the telescoping and push the tissue back into place.
In cases in which there is tissue death, surgery might be used to remove that section of the bowel and repair any other damage.
The most common treatment for intussusception in adults is surgery. Which type of surgery will depend on whether a cause is found and if the situation is an emergency.
For people who are medically stable, time can be taken to run some tests and consider options. In a person who is very ill or whose life is threatened because they are experiencing complications such as shock or sepsis, surgery might be done quickly.
An enema may or may not be used in adults, either alone or before surgery. It is a controversial topic because, in adults, there may be a growth or abnormality in the area of intussusception that needs surgical removal. If surgery is not done, an underlying problem (which could be life-threatening) might not be addressed.
Whether surgery should be done using minimally invasive techniques (laparoscopic) is still debated. Some research has shown that laparoscopic surgery can be effective and lead to shorter recovery times. The type of surgery will depend on a number of factors, but ultimately, the surgeon will try to save as much bowel as possible.
What Causes Intussusception Symptoms?
Causes of Intussusception in Children
It’s not always known what causes intussusception in children. However, there are some risk factors that may increase the likelihood of intussusception:
Causes of Intussusception in Adults
Intussusception in adults most commonly happens after surgery or because there is another condition present. However, sometimes a cause is never found, which is called idiopathic intussusception.
The intussusception may be because part of the intestine catches onto a growth or abnormality (called a lead point) in the intestine and causes the telescoping effect.
Some of the causes of intussusception include:
Some of the conditions that may put an adult at risk of intussusception include:
Outlook of People Treated for Intussusception Symptoms
Most adults who have surgery for intussusception have a good outcome and recovery. This is especially true as laparoscopic surgery, which can lead to less pain and shorter recovery times, becomes more common.
One large analysis of several studies of people undergoing surgery for intussusception showed that 22% had a complication after surgery. The most common complication was an infection at the surgery site. It was also shown that about 5% died after surgery.
The most important thing related to outcomes is what may have caused the intussusception in the first place. For instance, if the cause was related to cancer, the prognosis may change because that underlying condition will also need to be treated.
Summary
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Naffaa L, Barakat A, Baassiri A, Atweh LA.Imaging acute non-traumatic abdominal pathologies in pediatric patients: a pictorial review.J Radiol Case Rep. 2019;13:29-43. doi:10.3941/jrcr.v13i7.3443 (doi does not work)Lee EH, Yang HR.Nationwide population-based epidemiologic study on childhood intussusception in South Korea: emphasis on treatment and outcomes.Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.2020;23:329-345. doi:10.5223/pghn.2020.23.4.329Wu TH, Huang GS, Wu CT, Lai JY, Chen CC, Hu MH.Clinical characteristics of pediatric intussusception and predictors of bowel resection in affected patients.Front Surg.2022;9:926089. doi:10.3389/fsurg.2022.926089Morais SM, Santos Costa C, Mourato MB, Mogne T, Santos G.Intestinal intussusception: a shocking diagnosis.Cureus. 2022;14:e25368. doi:10.7759/cureus.25368Marsicovetere P, Ivatury SJ, White B, Holubar SD.Intestinal intussusception: etiology, diagnosis, and treatment.Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2017;30:30-39. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1593429National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Intussusception.Hong KD, Kim J, Ji W, Wexner SD.Adult intussusception: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Tech Coloproctol. 2019;23:315-324. doi:10.1007/s10151-019-01980-5Al-Radaideh AM, Omari HZ, Bani-Hani KE.Adult intussusception: a 14-year retrospective study of clinical assessment and computed tomography diagnosis.Acta Gastroenterol Belg.2018;81:367-372.Sun M, Li Z, Shu Z, Wu Q, Liu X.Adult intussusception: a challenge to laparoscopic surgery?PeerJ. 2022;10:e14495. doi:10.7717/peerj.14495.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Naffaa L, Barakat A, Baassiri A, Atweh LA.Imaging acute non-traumatic abdominal pathologies in pediatric patients: a pictorial review.J Radiol Case Rep. 2019;13:29-43. doi:10.3941/jrcr.v13i7.3443 (doi does not work)Lee EH, Yang HR.Nationwide population-based epidemiologic study on childhood intussusception in South Korea: emphasis on treatment and outcomes.Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.2020;23:329-345. doi:10.5223/pghn.2020.23.4.329Wu TH, Huang GS, Wu CT, Lai JY, Chen CC, Hu MH.Clinical characteristics of pediatric intussusception and predictors of bowel resection in affected patients.Front Surg.2022;9:926089. doi:10.3389/fsurg.2022.926089Morais SM, Santos Costa C, Mourato MB, Mogne T, Santos G.Intestinal intussusception: a shocking diagnosis.Cureus. 2022;14:e25368. doi:10.7759/cureus.25368Marsicovetere P, Ivatury SJ, White B, Holubar SD.Intestinal intussusception: etiology, diagnosis, and treatment.Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2017;30:30-39. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1593429National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Intussusception.Hong KD, Kim J, Ji W, Wexner SD.Adult intussusception: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Tech Coloproctol. 2019;23:315-324. doi:10.1007/s10151-019-01980-5Al-Radaideh AM, Omari HZ, Bani-Hani KE.Adult intussusception: a 14-year retrospective study of clinical assessment and computed tomography diagnosis.Acta Gastroenterol Belg.2018;81:367-372.Sun M, Li Z, Shu Z, Wu Q, Liu X.Adult intussusception: a challenge to laparoscopic surgery?PeerJ. 2022;10:e14495. doi:10.7717/peerj.14495.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Naffaa L, Barakat A, Baassiri A, Atweh LA.Imaging acute non-traumatic abdominal pathologies in pediatric patients: a pictorial review.J Radiol Case Rep. 2019;13:29-43. doi:10.3941/jrcr.v13i7.3443 (doi does not work)Lee EH, Yang HR.Nationwide population-based epidemiologic study on childhood intussusception in South Korea: emphasis on treatment and outcomes.Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.2020;23:329-345. doi:10.5223/pghn.2020.23.4.329Wu TH, Huang GS, Wu CT, Lai JY, Chen CC, Hu MH.Clinical characteristics of pediatric intussusception and predictors of bowel resection in affected patients.Front Surg.2022;9:926089. doi:10.3389/fsurg.2022.926089Morais SM, Santos Costa C, Mourato MB, Mogne T, Santos G.Intestinal intussusception: a shocking diagnosis.Cureus. 2022;14:e25368. doi:10.7759/cureus.25368Marsicovetere P, Ivatury SJ, White B, Holubar SD.Intestinal intussusception: etiology, diagnosis, and treatment.Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2017;30:30-39. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1593429National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Intussusception.Hong KD, Kim J, Ji W, Wexner SD.Adult intussusception: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Tech Coloproctol. 2019;23:315-324. doi:10.1007/s10151-019-01980-5Al-Radaideh AM, Omari HZ, Bani-Hani KE.Adult intussusception: a 14-year retrospective study of clinical assessment and computed tomography diagnosis.Acta Gastroenterol Belg.2018;81:367-372.Sun M, Li Z, Shu Z, Wu Q, Liu X.Adult intussusception: a challenge to laparoscopic surgery?PeerJ. 2022;10:e14495. doi:10.7717/peerj.14495.
Naffaa L, Barakat A, Baassiri A, Atweh LA.Imaging acute non-traumatic abdominal pathologies in pediatric patients: a pictorial review.J Radiol Case Rep. 2019;13:29-43. doi:10.3941/jrcr.v13i7.3443 (doi does not work)
Lee EH, Yang HR.Nationwide population-based epidemiologic study on childhood intussusception in South Korea: emphasis on treatment and outcomes.Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.2020;23:329-345. doi:10.5223/pghn.2020.23.4.329
Wu TH, Huang GS, Wu CT, Lai JY, Chen CC, Hu MH.Clinical characteristics of pediatric intussusception and predictors of bowel resection in affected patients.Front Surg.2022;9:926089. doi:10.3389/fsurg.2022.926089
Morais SM, Santos Costa C, Mourato MB, Mogne T, Santos G.Intestinal intussusception: a shocking diagnosis.Cureus. 2022;14:e25368. doi:10.7759/cureus.25368
Marsicovetere P, Ivatury SJ, White B, Holubar SD.Intestinal intussusception: etiology, diagnosis, and treatment.Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2017;30:30-39. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1593429
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Intussusception.
Hong KD, Kim J, Ji W, Wexner SD.Adult intussusception: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Tech Coloproctol. 2019;23:315-324. doi:10.1007/s10151-019-01980-5
Al-Radaideh AM, Omari HZ, Bani-Hani KE.Adult intussusception: a 14-year retrospective study of clinical assessment and computed tomography diagnosis.Acta Gastroenterol Belg.2018;81:367-372.
Sun M, Li Z, Shu Z, Wu Q, Liu X.Adult intussusception: a challenge to laparoscopic surgery?PeerJ. 2022;10:e14495. doi:10.7717/peerj.14495.
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