Intussusception, the most common cause of abdominal blockage in children under age three, the Merck Manual reports, occurs when one part of the intestine telescopes into another. Males more often develop intussusception than females, with 65 percent of cases occurring between the ages of three months and one year. Older children and adults, who develop intussusception rarely, often have underlying medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis. Signs of intussusception include abdominal pain and a palpable abdominal mass. Intussusception can develop in either the large or small intestine and leads to serious complications if not promptly treated.
Perforation
Telescoping of the bowel narrows the opening of the bowel, decreasing blood flow to the intestine. The lack of blood supply results in death, or necrosis, of the bowel tissue. The damaged or necrotic bowel may tear, or perforate, allowing intestinal waste to spill into the abdominal cavity.
Peritonitis
Intestinal waste products spilling into the abdominal cavity causes peritonitis, infection of the lining of the abdominal cavity. Peritonitis, a life-threatening emergency, needs immediate treatment. Symptoms of peritonitis include abdominal pain and distention, fever, decreased urine output and thirst, according to MayoClinic.com. Abdominal tenderness, guarding and rigidity set in, with the child being very reluctant to have anyone touch his abdomen.
Shock
Untreated, peritonitis leads to shock, which can quickly lead to death. Signs of shock include low blood pressure, cool, clammy skin, a gray or pale color, sweatiness, breathing that's either extremely fast, or shallow and slow, lethargy, dilated pupils, unresponsiveness and a weak, fast pulse, MayoClinic.com states.
Bowel Resection
If the intussusception cannot be successfully with reduction, surgery may be necessary. During surgery, if it's determined that a portion of the bowel is too damaged to salvage, a bowel resection, removal of the damaged portion and connecting the two healthy ends, called an end-to-end anastamosis, may be performed. Rarely, a large area of bowel may need removal, the Encyclopedia of Surgery warns, and the child may need a permanent colostomy or ileostomy, where an opening created in the abdominal wall, called a stoma, diverts stool from the intestine. Stool collects in a bag attached to the stoma.
Adhesions
Adhesions, bands of scar tissue that form after surgery, occur in around 7 percent of people who undergo surgical repair of intussusception, according to the Encyclopedia of Surgery. Adhesions in the abdomen can lead to bowel obstruction later in life because they cause intestines and other abdominal structures to stick to each other and become twisted or distorted, which can require future surgery.
