Assessment of Clinical Symptomatology and Diagnostic Features of Intestinal Intussusception associated with Malignant Tumor in Children: Results of the Retrospective Non-randomized Controlled Study

Abstract

Background. Treatment tactics for the intussusception (IS) in children is mainly defined the formation cause. Non operative IS treatment is most preferable. The surgery is often unreasonably performed in children over three years as the cause for IS occurrence can be a malignant tumor. Objective. Our aim was to define the features of clinical picture and diagnostics for IS associated with malignant tumors in children. Methods. We conducted the retrospective comparative assessment of reasons, registered clinical manifestations, and applied diagnostic methods in IS cases (n=373) at Arkhangelsk children's clinical hospital in 1981–2016. Two groups were analyzed: the first group (n=7) enrolled patients with IS caused by malignant tumor, the second one (n=366) — patients with IS caused by other reasons (idiopathic, mesenteric nodes hyperplasia, diverticulum, postoperative). Results. The typical combination was detected in the first group: symptoms of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) diseases and significant (8–12%) weight loss. In the first group, IS associated with tumor was observed in a few cases (1.9%), proceeded chronically (1–3 months), relapses did not occur, acute intestinal obstructions (р<0.001) were not registered; all the patients over five years were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphomas if compare with the second group. The most informative diagnostic method was ultrasound imaging including hydrocolonic sonography which allowed IS diagnosing and tumor identification. In the second group, the clinical picture changed eventually: «triad» of symptoms typical for IS (abdominal colic pain, blood from rectum, abdominal mass) was registered in 1/3 of cases, significantly more often (p=0.001) the disease was demonstrated by «dyad» of symptoms (vomiting and abdominal colic pain) but always progressed to the acute form. Conclusion. The IS clinical course in children following its usual pattern significantly differs from the clinical picture associated with the tumor (though it occurs rarely, commonly in children over five years): the disease proceeds chronically with symptoms of GIT diseases and significant weight loss, relapses did not occur, no symptoms of acute intestinal obstruction are registered.