Causes (Intussusception)

Survey of the causes of intussusception in a population of 105 consecutively operated children with invagination. In some of the children a cause of intussusception may be recognized; these cases are called symptomatic invaginations. In addition, in the survey these patients are divided into the agegroups less than 1 and more than 1 year. The causes are arranged from the top to the bottom according to oncological, pediatric and surgical pathologies. Besides the frequently observed Meckel's diverticulum there are multiple other causes of symptomatic intussusception. In this population of 105 operated invaginations 21 (= 20 %) were symptomatic. If one considers that most idiopathic invaginations occur in the first year of life, probably most of the intussusceptions beyond the age of 1 year should be symptomatic forms; in contrast to this opinion at least in 8 % of the infants an invagination with a recognizable cause has been observed in this population. In fact, this percentage should be somewhat lower.