Results of air pressure enema reduction of intussusception: 6,396 cases in 13 years.

Intussusception is the most common surgical emergency of childhood in China. Over the past 10 years, the incidence of intussusception has steadily increased world-wide, as well as in China. For example, 279 cases were treated in the Shanghai Children's Hospital in 1974, while 615 were treated in 1984. Twelve cases were treated in a course of a single night during 1985. Over the past 13 years, for which we have good records, 6,396 cases of intussusception were treated at the Shanghai Children's Hospital. Males outnumber females by a ratio of 2 to 1. In 3,872 cases seen over the past 6 years, 35.1% were under 6 months of age, 65.9% less than 1 year of age, and 88.4% less than 2 years of age.