A 2-year-old child presents with episodic inconsolable crying, drawing up of the knees, and passage of blood-stained mucus per rectum ('redcurrant jelly' stool). Abdominal examination shows a sausage-shaped mass in the right upper quadrant with absence of bowel in the right iliac fossa (Dance's sign). The most likely diagnosis is:

• A Meckel's diverticulitis
• B Volvulus neonatorum
• C Hirschsprung's disease
• D Intussusception ✓

Explanation

Intussusception, the invagination of a proximal bowel segment into an adjacent distal segment, classically presents in children aged 3 months to 2 years with episodic colicky pain, vomiting, a palpable abdominal mass, and 'redcurrant jelly' (blood-mucus) stools. Air or contrast enema under fluoroscopy is both diagnostic and therapeutic in uncomplicated cases. Surgical reduction is required when enema reduction fails or peritonitis is present.

Reference: Bailey & Love's Short Practice of Surgery, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.