Ultrasound Guided Reduction of Intussusception with Saline and Evaluating the Factors Affecting the Success of the Procedure

Background: Intussusception is a major cause of acute abdomen in childhood. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment of intussusception is of prime importance for preventing morbidity and mortality. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effectivity of ultrasound (USG)-guided hydrostatic reduction of intussusception with saline and to investigate the factors affecting the success of this method. Methods: A total of 100 children with intussusception who were treated by hydrostatic reduction with saline were retrospectively reviewed. The effect of age, gender, duration of symptoms, rectal bleeding, number of reduction attempts performed, and the diameter and length of the invaginated segment measured on USG were evaluated. Results: Successful reduction was achieved in 88 (88%) patients. Mean age was 24.83 months, with 25.59 months in patients with successful reduction and 20 months in patients with failed reduction. Reduction was successful in 83.9% of the patients with a history of rectal bleeding and in 94.7% of the patients with no history of rectal bleeding (P > 0.05). Mean duration of symptoms was 2.74 days in the patients with successful reduction and 4.33 days in the patients with failed reduction. The mean diameter and length of the invaginated segments measured on USG were 3.5 cm and 5.12 cm in the patients with successful reduction and 4.27 cm and 9.23 cm in the patients with failed reduction, respectively. No significant difference was observed between the patients with successful and failed reduction in terms of rectal bleeding, vomiting, gender, age, and body weight (P > 0.05). It was also found that success rate increased as the number of reduction attempts increased and the success rate decreased as the duration of symptoms and the diameter and the length of the invaginated segment increased (P < 0.05). Conclusions: In conclusion, USG-guided reduction of intussusception with saline is a practical and safe method that yields high success rates. Repeating this method in patients with partial reduction that are clinically stable leads to a significant increase in the success of the procedure. A prolonged duration of symptoms and an increase in the size and the diameter of the invaginated segment may have adverse effects on the success of the procedure.