Clinical experience with repeated air enema for the reduction of intussusception in infants and children

Objective: To discuss the technical points of air enema for the reduction of intussusception in infants and children, to analyze the causes of failure in order to improve the success rate of the reduction of intussusception. Methods: The indications of air enema reduction should be known well. If the initial air enema reduction was ineffective, sedative and antispasmodic medication as well as blood volume expander should be given, and half an hour later the second even the third time of air enema reduction should be carried out using the same air pressure as the first time used. Results: Of 104 patients who failed to respond to the first time of air enema reduction, second time of air enema reduction was employed in 95 with a successful reduction rate of 68.4%(65/95), and surgery was adopted in 9 (9/104, 8.6%). Of the 30 patients who failed to respond to the second time of air enema reduction, surgery was performed in 12(40%), and successful reduction was achieved in 5(27.8%). Conclusion: For the patients who fails to respond to the initial air enema reduction, repetition of air enema reduction should be considered in order to increase the total success rate and to avoid the surgery. If the second air enema reduction fails surgery should be carried out and the third time of air enema reduction is inadvisable. (authors)