Xie X, et al. – Authors conducted a randomly controlled trial to compare the effectiveness and safety of the hydrostatic and pneumatic reduction techniques for intussusception in pediatric patients. As per findings, ultrasound–guided hydrostatic reduction seemed a simple, safe and effective nonoperative treatment for pediatric patients suffering from intussusceptions, and should be firstly adopted in the treatment of qualified patients.

Methods

• Authors enrolled all intussusception patients who visited West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2014 to December 2015; the patients underwent either pneumatic reduction or hydrostatic reduction.
• They randomized the patients into ultrasound–guided hydrostatic or X–ray–guided pneumatic reduction group.
• Collection of data was performed regarding demography, symptoms, signs, and investigations.
• The success rate of reduction was observed as the primary outcome measure.
• For this study, the secondary outcome measures were the rates of intestinal perforations and recurrence.

Results

• 124 children with intussusception were enrolled.
• This study had an overall success rate of 90.32%.
• Univariable analysis indicated significantly higher success rate of hydrostatic reduction with normal saline (96.77%) in comparison to that of pneumatic reduction with air (83.87%) (p = 0.015).
• Authors identified perforation after reduction in only one of the pneumatic reduction group.
• In the hydrostatic reduction group, the recurrence rate of intussusception was 4.84% compared with 3.23% of pneumatic reduction group.