Pediatric intussusception and early discharge after pneumatic reduction

Objective: The success of non-operative reduction methods is extremely high in pediatric intussusceptions. Recurrent intussusceptions are also well-known entities in the pediatric age group after non-operative and operative reduction. Historical recommendations include a 24- to 48-h observation period after reduction. This situation often leads to unnecessary time loss. We aimed to show that early discharge does not pose a significant risk. Methods: The medical records of patients who presented to our hospital between January 2008 and June 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Data collected included age, clinical presentation, procedural information, surgical intervention, hospital stay, and presence of recurrence. Results: A total of 62 patients were included the study. Non-operative reduction was successful in 58 of 62 patients (93.5%). Four patients with failed non-operative reduction underwent subsequent surgical procedures. All patients were allowed oral intake within 2-4 h (mean: 2.6 h) after successful non-operative reduction and discharged within 5-8 h (mean: 6.2 h) after reduction. There were five episodes of recurrence and none occurred in the first 48 h after reduction. All recurrences were treated with non-operative reduction as in the first attempt. There were no problems detected in short- or long-term follow-ups. Conclusion: Pneumatic reduction is a safe and effective method in pediatric intussusception. If one is confident about treatment success, patients can be discharged without a long observation period. Early discharge is also cost-effective and reduces time loss.