[Acute intestinal invagination in infants and children in the African setting: role of early diagnosis].

AIM: To improve the diagnosis of intussusceptions on infants and children in the African milieu.

TOOLS AND METHOD: Within a period of 3 years, a retrospective study was carried out on 10 cases of intussusceptions noticed and treated in the paediatric surgical unit of GOPHY.

RESULTS

We noticed a peak in frequency between the ages of 3 to 12 months with pre- dominance in the female gender 70% of cases. In average most cases consulted in a hospital 72 hours after the onset of symptoms. We however recorded delays between 24 hours and 7 days. 50% of parents saw treatment initiated on their children after a delay of 48 hours. All cases were treated surgically with good prognosis. The authors identify a delay in diagnoses in the African milieu and thus the treatment that follows. Literature is reviewed and solutions are proposed to improve the diagnosis of intussusceptions.