Spontaneous Reduction of Intussusception in Infants: Is the Glass Half Empty or Half Full?

Background: Intussusception is not an uncommon abdominal surgical emergency in children. However, spontaneous reduction of intussusception is possible, though uncommon. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study of the characteristics of infants who had spontaneous reduction of intussusception at a tertiary hospital in Enugu, Nigeria. The study covered a 5-year period. Diagnosis of intussusception was made and confirmed based on clinical features and imaging (ultrasound) findings respectively. Results: A total of 383 cases of intussusception in infants were confirmed during the study period. Out of this number, 12 infants had spontaneous reduction. These gave a spontaneous reduction rate of 3.1% and form the basis of this report. The mean age of the patients was 6 months and there was male predominance. Abdominal pain was the most common symptom and the patients had abdominal ultrasound scan. Majority of the patients had normal serum electrolyte values. Two-thirds of the spontaneous reduction occurred preoperatively while one-third of the reductions were noticed intra-op. No definitive operative procedure was performed because the intussusception had resolved spontaneously. www.wjclinicalsurgery.com 1 Conclusion: Spontaneous reduction of intussusception is an uncommon event that may occur without stimulation. This study has shown that about 3 in 100 cases of intussusception in infants may reduce spontaneously. However, it must be emphasized that all efforts should be geared towards nonoperative or operative treatment of intussusception, as spontaneous reduction is not an option of treatment.