Colonic intussusceptions in children.

There is a high incidence of primary colonic intussusceptions in infants and children in Africa. The case histories of 37 patients are reviewed. Of the varieties described, the caecocolic intussusception (16 patients) presents as an intestinal upset, often mild, with symptoms of colic and vomiting. In many of these patients there is known to be an intestinal infestation with Ascaris lumbricoides. This often leads to a delay in establishing the correct diagnosis. Colocolic intussusception (13 patients) gives rise to more acute abdominal symptoms. On clinical assessment, signs of intestinal obstruction are found and there is usually an intra-abdominal mass which can be palpated in the left colon. Further confirmatory evidence of intussusception is the finding of occult blood in stools. There is an unusually high incidence of sigmoid intussusceptions in infants (8 patients). The diagnosis of this form of intussusception is often delayed owing to inadequate clinical assessment of prolapsed bowel at the anal orifice. The length of the prolapsed bowel, the curved nature of the prolapse and the possible demonstration of a sulcus between the prolapsed bowel and the anal canal wall, aid in diagnosis.