Sonography-guided hydrostatic reduction of ileocolic intussusception in children: Analysis of failure and success in consecutive patients presenting timely to the hospital

In children with ileocolic intussusception sonography is increasingly being used for diagnosis, whereas fluoroscopy is frequently used for guiding non-invasive reduction. This study assessed the success rate of radiation-free sonography-guided hydrostatic reduction in children with ileocolic intussusception, using novel well-defined success rate indices. All children were evaluated who presented from 2005 to 2013 to the local university hospital with ileocolic intussusception. The patients were treated with sonography-guided hydrostatic reduction unless primary surgery was clinically indicated. The according success rate was determined by indices of Bekdash et al. They represent the ratio of persistently successful non-surgical reductions versus four different denominators, depending on including/excluding cases with primary surgery and including/excluding cases requiring bowel resection/intervention. Fifty-six consecutive patients were included (age, 3 months to 7.8 years). About 80 % of the patients presented until 24 h and 20 % until 48 h after the onset of symptoms. Seven patients underwent primary surgery, with bowel resection required in three cases. Hydrostatic reduction was attempted in 49 patients, being permanently successful in 41 cases (selective reduction rate 41/49 = 83.7 %; crude reduction rate 41/56 = 73.2 %). The remaining eight patients underwent secondary surgery, with just two patients not requiring surgical bowel resection/intervention (corrected selective reduction rate 41/43 = 95.3 %). The composite reduction rate was 87.2 % (successful/feasible reductions, 41/47). Conclusion: Radiation-free sonography-guided hydrostatic reduction has a good success rate in children with ileocolic intussusception. It may be particularly valuable in centers that are already experienced with using sonography for the diagnosis.