PEDIATRICS Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1949, pp. 183-187
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CHRONIC INTUSSUSCEPTION

HENRY A. REISMAN M.D.1 and ARTHUR D. WOLK M.D.1

1 The Department of Pediatrics, Queens General Hospital, Jamaica, N.Y.

THE proper and prompt diagnosis of intussusception constitutes one of the important emergencies in pediatric practice. The acute type, however, does not present as great a diagnostic problem as does chronic intussusception. Its diagnosis is usually facilitated by the classical symptomatology of colicky pain, vomiting, abdominal distension with blood and mucus in stools occurring in a male infant. Chronic intussusception, on the other hand, presents no such typical picture. In fact, evidence pointing to it is often vague and the signs of intestinal obstruction are frequently lacking.

It is with this consideration that the following two cases of chronic intussusception of differing location and etiology are presented.

Case Reports

Case 1. W.B., 5 yr. old white male, was admitted to the Pediatric Service of Queens General Hospital on December 3, 1947 because of abdominal pain of 8 wks.' duration. Pain was localized to the para-umbilical region, intermittent and colicky in nature. Attacks were of 5 to 10 secs. duration, recurring frequently throughout the day except in the 2 wks. prior to admission when the incidence decreased to about 1 attack every 3 days. Pain was not related to or influenced by excitement, emotion, food, defecation, micturition or diversion.

The only episode of vomiting occurred 4 days prior to admission. At the onset of the present illness, patient had mild constipation easily relieved by enemata. This was followed by mild diarrhea. In the wk. prior to hospitalization, the mother noted dark red blood in the stools. Patient had anorexia, wt. loss of 3.2 kg. and complained of fatigue and lethargy.

Submitted on November 18, 1948