Intussusception is where the intestine invaginates (folds in on itself) into another section of the intestine, analogous to the way parts of a collapsible telescope slide into one another. This can result in an obstruction. Intussusceptum is the part that prolapses into the other, and intussuscipiens is the part that receives it.

Patient information

What is intussusception?
It's where the intestine folds in on itself, into another section of the intestine. It's very similar to the way in which a telescope - the thing you poke at the sky to look at the universe - slides in on itself.

So who cares about the intestine telescoping on itself?
Because it can cause an obstruction.

• Early:
  • Intermittent abdominal pain. Those too young to communicate verbally, may:
    • Cry
    • Draw knees up to their chest area
    • Dyspnea during jolts of pain
  • Intermittent moderate-to-severe cramping
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting (sometimes bile stained-green)
• Later:
  • Rectal bleeding
  • "Red currant jelly" stool (stool mixed with blood and mucus)
  • Lethargy

Fever is NOT a Sx of intussusception, but can indicate subsequent sepsis

• Pain is transient because the intussuscepted bowel segment transiently stops contracting - NOT because the intussusception temporarily resolves

• Palpating the abdomen, for a "sausage-shaped" mass

• Barium or water-soluble contrast enema, or an air-contrast enema, which both confirms the Dx of intussusception, and usually (80%) reduces it
• Surgical reduction, where the intussusception can't be reduced by enema, or the intestine is damaged. The surgeon opens the abdomen, and manually squeezes (cf. pulling) the part that has telescoped. If it can't be reduced or the bowel is damaged, they resect/remove the affected section
• Reduce by laparoscopy, pulling segments of intestine apart with forceps

• It is a medical emergency, but not immediately life-threatening
• Intussusception can cause a loop of bowel to ischemia due to compression of arterial blood supply, causing necrosis, perforation, and sepsis