The advantages of air reduction are the ease of performing the procedure, reduced radiation time and lower morbidity rate if perforation occurs. But, patients who fail air reduction undergo a laparotomy at which 10% have spontaneously reduced. The first enema decreases the edema and venous congestion of bowel wall, thus repeated reduction may succeed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of delayed repeated pneumatic reduction of intussusception in patients with failure of an initial attempt.

Between January 1998 and December 1999, 21 patients with proven intussusception received repeated delayed reduction 1 to 3 hours following the first failed attempt. These patients were in stable condition and did not have peritonitis, shock or toxic sign.

Before reduction, the patients had symptoms and signs for 6 to 48 hours (median 24 hr). The interval from the first reduction to the repeated was 1 to 3 hours (median 2.2 hr). The success rate of repeated reductions was 76.2% (16 of 21 patients), and 23.8% (5 of 21 patients) required surgery. Four of 5 patients requiring surgery were manually reduced and 1 spontaneously reduced in the operating room.

We recommended a repeated reduction in patients with intussusception who are in stable clinical condition after an unsuccessful initial reduction attempt.