How is intussusception treated and are there any alternatives?
Intussusception can cause reduced blood flow to part of the bowel, which would stop it functioning properly and can also lead to problems with infection. The effects of intussusception, like dehydration due to vomiting, can become serious quite quickly in children, so the condition needs emergency treatment. If your child is dehydrated, he or she will need a drip of fluids for a while before treatment starts. Your child will also need a nasogastric tube, which is passed up the nose, down the food-pipe and into the stomach. This will drain off the stomach and bowel contents, and ‘vent’ any air that has built up, which will make your child more comfortable. An enema is usually the first treatment. A tube is inserted into your child’s bottom and air or oxygen is released into the bowel. This works by expanding the bowel, so that the intussusception corrects itself. If the enema works well, you will be able to return home in a day or so. If your child is not well enough to have an enema, o
