Immunoglobulin A Vasculitis With Intussusception in Children.

BACKGROUND: Immunoglobulin A (IgA) vasculitis with intussusception is acute and severe vasculitis combined with acute abdomen in children. The diagnosis of the disease depends on the results of imaging examinations, and its treatment mainly includes enema and surgery. The literature summarized the detailed diagnosis and treatment data in previous literature reports. METHODS: We described the clinical manifestations, ultrasonic features, and treatment of patients admitted to a single center and reviewed previous literature regarding cases with detailed clinical data in the PubMed database within the past 20 years. RESULTS: The review included 36 patients, including 22 boys and 14 girls. A total of 32 patients were diagnosed using ultrasound (88.9%). The main sites of intussusception were the ileum and ileocolon in 16 (44.4%) and 11 (30.6%) cases, respectively. Thirteen patients (36.1%) were treated with enema, with 6 responding to the treatment. 26 patients (72.2%) underwent surgical treatment. Patients with ileal intussusception were more likely to be treated with surgery than those with colonic intussusception (P < .05). The single-center clinical data of 23 patients showed that there was no significant difference in laboratory test findings between patients with and without surgical treatment (P > .05). Patients with long insertion lengths were more likely to require surgery and resection (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonography is the first-line investigation for diagnosis. The main sites of intussusception were ileum and ileocolon. The length of intubation was related to surgery; treatment is according to the intussusception site. Air enema is not suitable for intussusception of the small intestine.

Effects of sedatives on radiologic enema reduction in children with ileocolic intussusception: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In children with ileocolic intussusception, sedatives such as midazolam, ketamine and propofol may facilitate radiologic enema reduction, but studies on their separate and joint effects remain controversial. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to systematically analyze studies for the effects of sedatives on the radiologic reduction of ileocolic intussusception in children. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science from database inception through March 2023 for articles that enrolled children with ileocolic intussusception who underwent non-operative pneumatic or hydrostatic enema reduction under ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance with or without the use of sedatives. The primary and secondary outcomes were success rate in radiologic reduction of ileocolic intussusception and risk of perforation, respectively. Effect estimates from the individual studies were extracted and combined using the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman log-odds random-effects model. Heterogeneity between studies was checked using Cochran's Q test and the I2 statistic. RESULTS: A total of 17 studies with 2094 participants were included in the final review, of which 15 were included in the meta-analysis. Nine studies reported on the success rate of radiologic reduction performed under sedation in all participants, while six studies compared the success rate in two patient groups undergoing the procedure with or without sedation. The pooled success rate of non-operative reduction under sedation was 87 % (95 % CI: 80-95 %), P = 0.000 with considerable heterogeneity (I2 = 85 %). A higher success rate of 94 % (95 % CI: 88-99 %) and homogeneity (I2 = 12 %) were found in studies with pneumatic enema reduction. Among comparative studies, the odds of success of non-operative reduction were increased when the procedure was performed under sedation, with a pooled odds ratio of 2.41 (95 % CI: 1.27-4.57), P = 0.010 and moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 60 %). In a sensitivity analysis, homogeneity was found between analyzed studies when two outliers were excluded (I2 = 0.73 %). The risk of perforation was not significantly different (OR 1.52, 95 % CI: 0.09-23.34), P = 0.764 indicating small study effects. No publication, bias was detected on visual inspection of the funnel plots or the Begg's and Egger's bias tests. Most studies were categorized as having a low risk of bias using Joanna Briggs Institute checklists. CONCLUSIONS: In selected patient groups, sedation can increase the success rate of radiologic enema reduction in children with ileocolic intussusception without evidence of increased risk of perforation. Systematic review protocol registration: PROSPERO CRD42023404887.

Intussusception Management in Children: A 15-Year Experience in a Referral Center.

OBJECTIVE: To report a 15-y, single-center experience in the management and outcomes of ileocolic intussusception (ICI) episodes. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in patients with ICI episodes, who were treated at a single quaternary referral center from 2005 to 2019. Data evaluated included patient demographics, clinical presentation, treatment modalities, hospital stay, complications, and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 546 ICI episodes (66.1% males) were included, with a median age at diagnosis of 15 mo. Enema reduction was performed in 478 patients (87.6%), with an overall success rate of 85.8%. Hydrostatic saline enema was the most effective method (89.3%) when compared to pneumatic (80.6%) or barium enema (79.8%), this difference being statistically significant (p = 0.031). No associated complications were observed during nonoperative reduction. Surgical treatment was performed in 101 patients, in whom 36 bowel resections were performed. Postoperative complications were reported in 6 patients (5.9%). Hospital stay was significantly longer in patients with operative management (median 5 d vs. 1 d; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Nonoperative management has a high overall success rate and low complication and recurrence rates. Saline enema reduction presents the highest effectiveness, and should be considered the first-line treatment.

Midazolam premedication in ileocolic intussusception: a retrospective multicenter study.

Ileocolic intussusception is a common cause of bowel obstruction. When spontaneous reduction does not occur, non-operative management through enema reduction is necessary. Despite the evidence indicating that sedatives favor success in the reduction, their use is still not a common practice. To determine if midazolam (MDZ) before enema improves the rate of procedure success, we retrospectively reviewed charts of patients admitted to two Italian pediatric emergency departments. Outcome measures were the success rate of the enema, recurrence, and need for surgery. Patients were grouped according to the use of MDZ or not, before hydrostatic reduction attempt. We included 69 and 37 patients in the MDZ and non-MDZ groups, respectively. The two groups did not differ in demographics, clinical characteristics, and ultrasound findings. Intussusception reduction after the first enema attempt occurred in 75% (MDZ group) and 32.4% (non-MDZ group) of patients (P < .001); 27.9% (MDZ group) and 77.8% (non-MDZ group) of patients underwent surgery (P < .001). Among them, spontaneous reduction of intussusception during the induction of general anesthesia occurred in 31.6% and 42.9% of patients, respectively (P .43). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only MDZ had a positive effect on the result of the enema (OR 7.602, 95%CI 2.669-21.652, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Procedural sedation with MDZ for enema reduction of intussusception can increase the success rate and lead to a better management of patients. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Despite the evidence of the usefulness of sedatives in the reduction of intussusception, their use is still not a common practice. WHAT IS NEW: • Midazolam during enema reduction of intussusception can increase the success rate and consequently lead to better management of patients.

Ileocolic intussusception in pediatric SARS-CoV-2 patients: experience at a tertiary pediatric center.

PURPOSE: COVID-19 disease can manifest with intussusception in pediatric patients, but prevalence of abnormalities on ultrasounds performed for intussusception is uncertain. We aim to report our experience in children with COVID-19 presenting with suspected intussusception imaged with ultrasound. METHODS: Children under 18 years who had an ultrasound for possible intussusception underwent retrospective analysis and were tested for COVID-19 between April 1 and December 14, 2020. Patients' demographic, clinical, radiological and surgical characteristics were reviewed. RESULTS: Twenty-four COVID-19-positive patients were identified; 19 boys with mean age 3 years (range: 3 months-18 years). Ultrasound was abnormal in 11 patients (11/24, 46%). Sonographic features of enterocolitis were documented in seven children (7/24, 29%). Three boys (3/24, 13%) were found to have ileocolic intussusception on ultrasound and underwent air enema with failed reduction (3/3, 100%), precipitating surgical reductions, all with favorable outcomes. One patient (1/24, 4%) was found to have a long segment of persistent small bowel-small bowel intussusception which was surgically repaired. CONCLUSION: Given the known association between failed reduction at air enema and delayed presentation, heightened awareness for intussusception in the setting of COVID-19 should be maintained, though more often, the etiology was attributed to other GI manifestations of COVID-19.

Clinical management and recommendations for children with more than four episodes of recurrent intussusception following successful reduction of each: an institutional review.

AIM: To describe patterns and risk factors of multiple recurrences to optimise management for pediatric patients with more than four episodes of intussusception. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following IRB approval, all sonographic evaluations for intussusception in patients <18 years over a 6-year period were reviewed. Data extracted included age at onset of first intussusception, gender, presenting symptoms, symptoms upon recurrence, presence of pathological lead points, and surgical findings. RESULTS: During a 6-year period, five cases had four or more instances of recurrence after enema reduction attempts. All patients were male with an average age of 16 months. Two of the five cases resolved after the fourth enema reduction and no lead points were identified. Two other cases involved surgical reduction with intraoperative findings of Meckel's diverticulum and juvenile polyp. The final case had five recurrence episodes and six separate enema reductions. Ultimately, lymphoid hyperplasia was discovered on colonoscopy and the patient never recurred after being treated with steroids. CONCLUSION: Given the favorable reduction rate in re-recurrent cases and complete lack of perforation observed, up to four attempts at enema reduction is recommended before considering an alternative strategy. If recurrence continues past the fourth reduction attempt, computed tomography (CT) is recommended to identify a lead point. If CT remains inconclusive, then consider exploratory laparotomy.

A rare case of ileo-ileal intussusception due to a bleeding lipomatous mass treated by laparoscopic ileal resection.

INTRODUCTION: Adult intussusception is a rare cause of bowel obstruction with atypical presentation. It can be associated with primary or secondary intestinal tumors and, rarely, with lipomatous masses. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 69-year old man presenting with a history of gastrointestinal bleeding and anemia. Upper and lower endoscopies were negative for bleeding. On abdominal contrast enhanced computerized tomography (CT) scan, a trans-omental hernia in the right lower abdominal quadrant was diagnosed with no active bleeding or evidence of tumor. On exploratory laparoscopy we detected an ileo-ileal intussusception caused by a submucosal mass in the distal ileum, which was reduced and we then performed a segmental resection of the involved small bowel tract. The patient fully recovered by postoperative day 3 when he was discharged home. Final pathology confirmed an ileal lipoma. CONCLUSION: Ileal intussusception caused by lipoma is a rare condition, which can be diagnosed with endoscopy, barium enema, and abdominal ultrasound or CT scanning, but preoperative diagnosis may be difficult. The treatment of choice is the reduction of the intussusception and the resection (laparoscopic or open) of the involved tract. KEY WORDS: Intussusception, Lipoma, Ileum, Laparoscopy, Bleeding.

[Small bowel perforation caused by intestinal dissemination of pulmonary tuberculosis due to biological therapy]. / Biológiai terápiát követoen fellángoló pulmonalis tbc enterális disszeminációja által okozott vékonybél-perforatio.

Case review: The authors present a case of a 78-year-old female patient who previously, as a teenager, had been treated for pulmonary tuberculosis. The biological therapy for subsequent inflammatory bowel disease in 2015 caused a flare up of the respiratory symptoms after 60 years of being asymptomatic, and the patient also developed acute abdomen. She required emergency laparotomy and small intestine segment resection was performed due to perforated ileum. Histological examination of the specimen showed intestinal tuberculosis as the cause of perforation. Following pharmacological therapy in the postoperative period the patient eventually became asymptomatic. Discussion: Tuberculosis is a life threatening disease which can virtually affect any organ system. The primary site of tuberculosis is usually the lung, from which it can get disseminated into other parts of the body. With this article we would like to raise the awareness of the potentially lethal side effects of biological and immune modulated therapies and we would also like to emphasize the importance of the cooperation of practitioners in different medical fields.

When a cure becomes the pathology: mechanical bowel obstruction due to herbal pharmacobezoar. A case report with review of literature.

Bezoars are intra-luminal concretions of ingested material which accumulate within the bowel. They are termed pharmacobezoars when the constituent material is drugs. We report a 64-year-old female with abdominal pain and obstipation for 3 days. Patient had completed anti-tuberculous combination therapy for suspected abdominal tuberculosis 25 years ago. She exhibited features of shock with a right iliac fossa lump. Abdominal X-ray displayed multiple air-fluid levels with densely cluttered radio-opacities in the right lower quadrant. Laparotomy revealed a palpable mid-ileal intra-luminal lump, adherent to the ascending colon and proximal ileum necessitating resection. Ex vivo examination of resected specimen revealed numerous tablets aggregating proximal to an ileal stricture. The patient post-operatively confirmed the tablets resembled the herbal laxatives she had been consuming. Pharmacobezoars can lead to subacute intestinal obstruction. Numerous drugs have been implicated. Patients with partial gastrectomy and vagotomy are at risk. CT is the pre-eminent diagnostic modality. The treatment options for pharmacobezoars include lavage, endoscopic retrieval, in addition to surgery. Pharmacobezoars need a high index of suspicion for pre-operative diagnosis. A detailed history and correlation with radioimaging can offer important cues. One can prevent pharmacobezoars by abstaining from unwarranted medications and identifying those at risk.

Distal intestinal obstruction in CF patients.

Distal intestinal obstruction syndrome (DIOS) - the incomplete of complete intestinal obstruction by intestinal contents in the terminal ileum and proximal colon- is frequently seen in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Diagnosis is based on suggestive symptoms of abdominal pain in the right lower quadrant, a palpable mass on examination and signs of obstruction on plain radiography. Treatment consists of intensive laxative treatment with oral laxatives and enemas. Surgery only serves as the last resort for patients not responding to medical therapy, because of the well-known high rate of peri- and postoperative morbidity of surgery in CF patients. In this article we present 3 cases of DIOS, followed by a review of the relevant literature.

Segmental sigmoid polyposis as a colonoscopic indicator of an ileosigmoid fistula in Crohn's ileitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ileosigmoid fistulas (ISFs) are frequently undiagnosed prior to surgery. This study was designed to describe a polyp or cluster of polyps limited to the sigmoid colon as a marker of ISF in patients with ileitis. This novel finding will increase a gastroenterologist's opportunity to detect them preoperatively and their prognostic implication of worsening ileitis. METHODS: The medical records of patients with Crohn's disease and ISF were reviewed to determine whether colonoscopy had revealed polyposis limited to the sigmoid colon and its frequency. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients with Crohn's ileitis complicated by ISF were identified from our database. Twenty had one or more sigmoid polyps without polyps elsewhere in the colon suggesting the site of fistula exit. Fifteen of the patients had ISF and five had ileorectal fistula (IRF). The fistula was detected by various means, including colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, small bowel X-ray series, barium enema, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance enterography. The ISF was generally diagnosed prior to the recognition and significance of the segmental polyps. These polyps were inflammatory or hyperplastic on pathologic review. CONCLUSION: Most ISFs and IRFs are now found preoperatively by imaging and some are incidental surgical findings. The segmental sigmoid polyps that we describe should help the gastroenterologist to be suspicious of ISF. The polyps are a surrogate marker for the progression of the fistula and the underlying ileitis as they tend to appear after the fistula has matured and lead to increased intensity of medical therapy well before surgical intervention is required.

Intestinal obstruction due to dual gastrointestinal atresia in infants: diagnosis and management of 3 cases.

BACKGROUND: Several types of congenital lesions can cause complete or incomplete obstruction of the intestine. Our purpose is to present 3 neonates with dual intestinal type I atresia, i.e., simultaneous obstructive lesions at 2 locations in which the atresia manifested as diaphragm-like tissue. CASE PRESENTATION: All 3 cases were female infants ranging in age from 2 to 14 months. The common symptom in all cases was intermittent persistent vomiting. In some cases the vomitus was bilious, and other symptoms included abdominal distention and delayed meconium passage. Prior surgeries at another hospital were unsuccessful at relieving the symptoms in one case. One case had dual lesions in the colon, one dual lesions in the duodenum, and one atresia at both the distal portion of the ileum and the descending colon. Surgical exploration and removal of the lesions at our hospital was successful in all cases, and the infants were discharged in good condition. CONCLUSIONS: Type I atresia can manifest as a diaphragm-like tissue obstructing the continuity of gastrointestinal tract, and in rare cases multiple areas may be present. Base on the intermittent nature of the associated symptoms, diagnosis can be difficult and is often delayed. Physicians should be aware of this condition during the work-up of an infant with persistent intermittent vomiting.

Single port laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for ileocolic intussusception.

A 36-year-old male was admitted with right lower abdominal pain and diarrhea for more than 3 mo. Colonoscopy and a barium enema study revealed a submucosal tumor over the cecum, but computed tomography showed an ileal lipoma. There was no definitive diagnosis preoperatively, but ileocolic intussusception was noted during surgery. Single port laparoscopic radical right hemicolectomy was performed because intra-operative reduction failed. The histological diagnosis of the resected tumor was lipoma. Single port laparoscopic surgery has recently been proven to be safe and feasible. There are advantages compared with conventional laparoscopic surgery, such as smaller incision wounds, fewer port site complications, and easier conversion. However, there are some drawbacks which need to be overcome, such as difficulties in triangulation and instrument clashing. If there are no contraindications to laparoscopy, single port laparoscopic surgery can be performed safely and should be considered for diagnosis and treatment of intussusception in adults. Here, we report the first case of ileocolic intussusception successfully treated by single port laparoscopic surgery.

A microscopically calcified Meckel's diverticulum: a histopathological perspective of a case of both gastric and pancreatic mucosae.

A 2-year-old child presented with a 1-week history of abdominal pain and non-bilious vomiting. Upon examination, the abdomen was distended and faecal aspirate was noted from a nasogastric tube. Ultrasound scan and a failed air enema demonstrated intestinal intussusception warranting a surgical intervention. The intraoperative findings were of an ileocolic intussusception that was reduced and a Meckel's diverticulum (MD) was noted as a lead point necessitating resection with an end-to-end anastomosis. Histopathological analysis revealed a heterotopic MD containing both gastric and pancreatic mucosae with dystrophic calcification. MD is a pathologically diverse condition. The commonest histopathological picture in MD is that of an ectopic gastric mucosa at the terminal ileum. The histopathological analysis of this case demonstrated the interesting heterotopic results with calcification, which the histopathologist needs to be aware of when interpreting a surgical specimen with a clinical picture consistent with intussusception.

Delayed repeated enema and operative findings after unsuccessful primary enema for intussusception.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was (1) to evaluate the role for and the potential morbidity associated with delayed repeated enema (DRE) and (2) to compare surgical findings for patients undergoing operative exploration after failed primary enema and DRE reduction attempts for intussusception. METHODS: After obtaining approval from the Internal Review Board, we completed a retrospective review of all patients treated for intussusception at a large, tertiary care pediatric hospital. We evaluated the success of primary reduction enema, DRE, and compared surgical findings after failed enema reduction. RESULTS: A total of 135 intussusceptions underwent an attempt at enema reduction following diagnosis. Of these, 83 (61.5%) intussusceptions were reduced with primary enema. Thirty-four patients (25.2%) proceeded directly to surgical exploration after a failed primary enema and 4 more patients were explored after successful reduction due to suspicion for a pathologic lead point. Thirty-four of these operations were therapeutic. In this, four patients had a negative exploration; eight patients required a bowel resection due to necrotic bowel, perforation, or persistence of an irreducible intussusception. Eighteen patients underwent a DRE after a failed primary enema. Two DREs revealed the intussusception had completely reduced before the study, and 11 DREs were successful in reducing persistent intussusceptions. Five patients underwent operative exploration after a failed DRE and were all found to have a persistent intussusception which was successfully reduced intraoperatively. There were no negative laparotomies, pathologic lead points, or instances of necrotic bowel or perforation in patients explored following unsuccessful DRE and no bowel resections were required. CONCLUSIONS: The use of DRE in select patients with persistence of an intussusception may result in successful subsequent reduction with no apparent increase in morbidity. A DRE may lead to improved outcomes for patients with intussusception through avoidance of unnecessary surgical reductions and negative explorations.

"Pulling the plug"--management of meconium plug syndrome in neonates.

BACKGROUND: The significance of meconium plug syndrome (MPS) is unclear but has been associated with Hirschsprung's disease and magnesium tocolysis. We reviewed our experience to attempt to identify any potential association with these conditions and to review our outcomes. METHODS: Using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth revision, code for meconium obstruction, patient charts were identified during the 1998-2008 period. A total of 61 cases of MPS were found, after excluding 7 of meconium ileus. Data regarding the hospital course and outcomes were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Approximately 30% of patients had spontaneous resolution of the meconium plug without any treatment. Of those patients requiring treatment, contrast barium enema was used, with 97% success. Only 2 patients required surgical intervention owing to worsening distension and subsequent peritonitis. When we stratified the patients according to gestational age of >36 and <36 wk, contrast barium enemas were performed 2.2 ± 1.8 versus 8.6 ± 7.8 d after birth (P = 0.003), respectively, and the lower gestational age patients had a longer length of stay. Contrast barium enema was still successful in 94% of patients with a gestational age of <36 wk. Magnesium tocolysis was noted in 16% of the cases, and Hirschsprung's disease was only found in 3.2% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with MPS have excellent outcomes, independent of gestational age. Contrast barium enema remains the initial diagnostic and treatment of choice for patients with MPS. Also, although previous reports have shown a link between magnesium tocolysis and Hirschsprung's disease with MPS, our experience suggests otherwise.