The incidence of intussusceptions prolapsing rectally is high in this series. It can present in the absence of the cardinal symptoms of intussusception. A high index of clinical suspicion is necessary to make the diagnosis. AER is often successful and must be attempted in children who do not have contraindications for this procedure.

Air enema is the treatment of choice for childhood intussusceptions. Although peritonitis is the established contraindication, studies have attempted to identify factors that affect the outcome of air enema. In our series we studied the impact of such factors on the clinical scenario to determine if it was important to predict the outcome of air enema. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 179 children who underwent air enema for intussusception at our institution over a 5-year period. Abdominal colic was present in 144 children, vomiting in 139 and rectal bleeding in 108 children. The duration of symptoms was less than 24 h in 131 children. An abdominal mass was present in 121 children, rectal prolapse of intussusception in 14, dehydration in 31 and small bowel obstruction in 27 children. The success rate of air enema was calculated. All clinical features were analyzed for impact on outcome using univariate and multivariate analysis. The extent of this impact on the clinical scenario was examined. Air enema was successful in 157 cases (89%). One child developed a perforation during the procedure (0.6%). The recurrence rate was 8%. Using chi2 test, success of air enema was reduced in the presence of rectal bleeding, rectal prolapse of intussusception, dehydration, and small bowel obstruction. This reduction was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Using logistic regression analysis, the success of air enema was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) only in the presence of prolapsing rectal intussusception (57%) and small bowel obstruction (52%). Small bowel obstruction and prolapsing rectal intussusceptions merely reduce the success of air enema and do not increase the complications. Since the success of air enema is very high, it must be attempted in all children with the exception of peritonitis. Predicting the outcome is not crucial because of the high success rate and low complication rate.

The aim of this study was to examine precisely the morphological abnormalities in the myenteric plexus at the atretic end of the bowel in jejunoileal atresia (JIA). Although changes in the myenteric plexus has been examined in the proximal and distal segments of bowel in JIA, a histochemical analysis of the atretic segment is lacking. Specimens from the atretic end of bowel were obtained from six neonates with JIA. Whole-mount preparations were made of the myenteric plexus, and the cholinergic and nitrergic components were studied by staining with acetylcholine esterase (Ach E) and NADPH diaphorase, respectively. Controls were obtained from two neonates undergoing small bowel resection for Meckel's diverticulum. At the blind end of bowel in type 3a atresia (5 neonates), the intensity of NADPH staining was comparable with controls. However, there was distortion of polygonal architecture of the primary and secondary plexuses at the blind end arranged in concentric fashion parallel to the circular muscle fibres. The ganglia were large and irregularly shaped and contained round neuronal cells. In the sausage shaped segment of bowel in multiple atresia, there was total loss of polygonal architecture with abnormal ganglia, and whorls of nerve fibers. Neuronal cells could not be made out in the ganglia. In specimens stained with Ach E, the findings were similar except that the staining intensity was markedly reduced compared with controls. The morphological abnormalities in the atretic bowel in type 3a were restricted to the architecture of the plexuses and ganglia. The neuronal cells were normal. However, the total loss of polygonal architecture and absence of neuronal cells in the ganglia in multiple atresia probably indicate a different etiology for this type of atresia.

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