The changing pattern of infantile intussusception in northern Nigeria: a report of 47 cases.

Infantile intussusception is not rare in Africa, but was reported to be relatively uncommon. This retrospective review of 47 infants with the diagnosis of intussusception included 38 boys and nine girls. Surprisingly, the clinical presentation is at variance with previous reports and beliefs about intussusception in tropical Africa, but is similar to those from Europe and North America. Contrary to expectation, about 70% of infants presented with the classical clinical picture of intussusception with the complete features of vomiting, 'colicky abdominal pain', blood mucoid stools and palpable abdominal mass. The other 30% presented with various combinations of the components of the tetrad. The small bowel was the leading point in 30 infants and the colon in 17. Of the small bowel variety, the two main types were the ileo-ileal and the ileocolic, while the ileocaecal and the various types of colo-colic intussusception were of large bowel origin. Morbidity was minimal. There were four deaths. Intussusception in this series differs in many respects from previous experience in Zaria.