Causes of Intussusception

Intussusception is a process in which part of the intestine or colon slides into another part of the intestine. It is rare, especially in adults unless there is a family history.
Most adult cases of intussusceptions result from an underlying medical condition. However, when this happens in children, there is usually no identifiable reason or source. The telescoping action causes a blockage that stops fluid and food from traveling along the intestine.

Symptoms - Adult

• Intussusception in adults might be chronic, intermittent or acute. Some of the recognizable symptoms include:
  Nausea
  Vomiting
  Swollen abdominal area
  Pain confined to specific area of abdomen
  Painful abdominal cramps
  Bleeding from rectum
  Immediate bowel movement feeling of urgency
  Changes in frequency of bowel movement activity
  The persistence of any of these symptoms or the combination of several of them is a good reason to seek health care services as quickly as possible.

Symptoms -- Children

• The first sign of the presence of intussusception in a child occurs after the beginning of a diet that includes real food. It would initially present with abdominal pain that causes loud and sudden crying. Additionally, the infant tends to pull the knees to the chest while crying.

  At first, the pain comes and goes and then settles into a pattern of occurring 15 to 20 minutes apart. The episodes of pain increase in frequency and last longer over time.

  While some of the symptoms are similar to those that adults would experience, others are unique to a child. Symptoms in children may include the following:
  Diarrhea
  Vomiting
  Swollen abdominal area
  Blood and mucus in the stool
  Shallow breathing
  Fever
  Dehydration
  Listlessness
  Abdominal lump
  Intermittent severe abdominal pain

  If any of the above symptoms develop, it is important to seek medical care immediately.

Causes

• Intussusception is a disorder occurring usually in the small intestine where one section slides inside of an adjoining section. It is more common in children, especially infants, than in adults. As you pass from childhood to young adult, intussusception is most likely to develop as the result of an underlying medical situation.

  Children with intussusception have cases with unknown origins. It could be a virus or an intestinal growth that serves as a trigger. In the past, a vaccine for rotavirus seemed to be a trigger. As of 1999, that version of the vaccine is no longer on the market.

Complications

• The biggest complication is blockage of the blood supply that results in the death of the intestinal tissue. This leads to other issues, including:
  Perforation of the intestinal wall
  Peritonitis
  Shock
  Peritonitis is life threatening and requires immediate emergency medical attention. This infection has five main signs:
  Fever
  Thirst
  Low urine output
  Abdominal swelling
  Pain in the abdomen

  The signs that peritonitis is causing shock include:
  Blank stare
  Dilated pupils
  Either slow or rapid breathing
  Weak or rapid pulse
  Pale or grayish and cool and clammy skin

Treatment or Prevention

• If initial manipulation of the affected area is unsuccessful, your medical professional will look at X-rays and enema results before proceeding to surgery. This condition often stabilizes on its own, although recurrence is possible. It is important to treat each attack of intussusception as the first occurrence of this condition.

  There is no way to prevent intussusception. If an underlying medical condition exists, that condition is treatable.