Intussusception, which can also be called intestinal intussusception, is a serious condition in which one part of the intestine slides into another, which can disrupt the passage of blood to that part and cause a serious infection, blockage, perforation of the intestine or even the death of tissues.
This intestinal change is most common in children up to age 3, but can also occur in adults, causing symptoms such as severe vomiting, stomach swelling, severe abdominal pain, diarrhea and the presence of blood in the stool.
- When these symptoms appear.
- An intestinal disturbance should always be suspected and.
- Therefore.
- It is important to go quickly to the hospital to identify the cause and start appropriate treatment.
- Avoiding complications.
Intussusception is more common in infants and therefore the most common initial symptom is sudden and severe crying, which appears for no apparent reason and does not improve.
However, because this change in the intestine also causes quite severe pain, the child can also bend the knees over the stomach and be more irritated when he moves his or her belly.
The pain usually appears and disappears over time, 10 to 20 minutes, and therefore it is normal for the child to have episodes of crying throughout the day.Other possible symptoms include:
For adults, intestinal intussusception may be more difficult to identify because symptoms are similar to other bowel problems, such as gastroenteritis, for example, and therefore diagnosis may take longer, recommending going to the hospital when the pain worsens or takes more than a day to go away.
Diagnosis of intussusception should be made in the hospital, as several tests may be needed such as x-rays, abdominal ultrasound, or CT scans to detect other problems that may cause similar symptoms, such as hernia, intestinal vorulux, gastroenteritis, appendicitis, or testicular.twisting, for example..
Most cases of intestinal intussusception occur in children, so the cause is indefinite, but appears to be more common during winter due to the presence of viruses in the body.
In adults, this complication appears to be more common due to a polyp, tumor, or intestinal inflammation, although it can also occur in people who have had bariatric surgery.
Treatment of intussusception should be started as soon as possible in the hospital, starting with serum administration directly into the vein to stabilize the body.In addition, it may also be necessary to place a tube from the nose to the stomach, called a nasogastric tube, to remove fluids and air that can put pressure on the intestines.
Then, in the child’s case, your doctor may do an air enema to try to place the intestine in the right place, and surgery is rarely needed.As in adults, surgery is often the best form of treatment, because in addition to correcting intestinal intussusception, it also helps treat the problem that causes the intestinal change.
After surgery, it is normal for the intestine to not function normally between 24 and 48 hours and therefore during this period the person should rest and should not eat or drink, so it is recommended to remain hospitalized to receive serum.directly into the vein, at least until intestinal transit returns to normal.To relieve the discomfort of surgery, your doctor often prescribes acetaminophen.