Surgery · Pediatric Surgery

In pediatric intussusception, the most common type encountered and its lead point in children under 2 years is:

  • A Ileo-colic intussusception; lead point is a Meckel's diverticulum in the majority
  • B Ileo-colic intussusception; idiopathic in majority (hypertrophied Peyer's patches) with no pathological lead point
  • C Colo-colic intussusception; most commonly from submucosal lipoma
  • D Ileo-ileal intussusception; post-viral lymphadenopathy is the most common cause
Correct answer: B. Ileo-colic intussusception; idiopathic in majority (hypertrophied Peyer's patches) with no pathological lead point

Explanation

Ileo-colic intussusception is the most common type (85–90%) in infants and toddlers under 2 years. The majority are idiopathic, attributed to hypertrophied Peyer's patches following viral illness (often adenovirus or rotavirus), which serve as functional lead points without a true anatomical lesion. Pathological lead points (Meckel's diverticulum, lymphoma, polyp, duplication cyst) are found in only 5–10% of cases in this age group and more commonly in children over 2 years. Idiopathic intussusception is amenable to pneumatic or hydrostatic reduction.

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

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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