How long is the incubation period for intussusception?

Written by Li Chang Yue
General Surgery
Updated on June 13, 2025
00:00
00:00

The incubation period of intussusception generally varies depending on the severity of the condition. Intussusception most commonly occurs during infancy or in adulthood. Typically, the incubation period is around 2 to 3 years of age, which is when the chances of developing intussusception are highest. In adults, intussusception is generally associated with tumors. As the tumor grows or other pathological changes occur, the likelihood of intussusception significantly increases. Therefore, once symptoms appear in patients with intussusception, it indicates a severe condition. Thus, in cases where intussusception is clearly diagnosed, timely surgical intervention should be administered to effectively treat the disease.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
56sec home-news-image

How is intussusception diagnosed?

Intussusception is one of the common acute abdominal conditions in infants and young children. The primary clinical symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting, and "jam-like" stools, with a mass often palpable in the abdomen. Initially, the overall condition of the child is generally fine, but in the later stages, symptoms such as dehydration, lethargy, coma, and shock can appear. Any healthy infant or young child who suddenly experiences episodic abdominal pain or periodic, regular bouts of crying, accompanied by vomiting, bloody stools, and a sausage-shaped mass in the abdomen, should be highly suspected of having intussusception. Once intussusception is confirmed, timely enema treatment should be administered to the child, and if the opportunity for an enema has passed, surgical treatment should be considered.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Hu Qi Feng
Pediatrics
28sec home-news-image

Can intussusception resolve itself automatically?

Some children with intussusception may resolve spontaneously, but it is important to closely monitor their condition with ultrasound to understand the status of the intussusception. If it does not resolve on its own in a short period, immediate surgical treatment is necessary. If the ultrasound shows successful resolution, or if the child's clinical symptoms such as vomiting and abdominal pain improve and the ultrasound does not reveal any obvious abnormalities, it is considered an automatic recovery.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Bai Yan Hui
Pediatrics
44sec home-news-image

Intussusception should visit which department?

Intussusception generally falls under pediatric surgery, but many children arrive at the hospital without a clear self-diagnosis of intussusception; they often come due to abdominal pain. They can visit either the internal medicine department or the surgical department. At this point, the attending physician will conduct a thorough medical history inquiry, such as a standing abdominal radiograph, abdominal ultrasonography, and physical examination, to aid in diagnosis. If a diagnosis confirms the need for surgical intervention, whether it involves air enema or surgery, it is definitely within the scope of the surgical department.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Hu Qi Feng
Pediatrics
1min 9sec home-news-image

How is intussusception in infants caused?

Intussusception is divided into primary and secondary types, with 95% being primary, commonly seen in infants. This is due to the fact that the mesentery at the ileocecal region in infants is not fully fixed and has greater mobility, which are structural factors that facilitate intussusception. For the 5% of secondary cases, these are more common in older children, whose intestines often have clear organic causes for intussusception. These causes include the inversion of a Meckel's diverticulum into the ileal lumen serving as a lead point; intestinal polyps, intestinal tumors, intestinal duplications, and abdominal purpura can cause thickening and swelling of the bowel wall leading to intussusception. Additionally, certain facilitating factors can disrupt the rhythm of intestinal peristalsis, thereby inducing intussusception. Changes in diet, viral infections, and diarrhea are among the factors that can trigger intussusception.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Hu Qi Feng
Pediatrics
38sec home-news-image

How to treat intussusception in infants

The treatment of intussusception mainly includes non-surgical and surgical methods. The non-surgical method involves enema treatment. Within 48 hours of the onset of intussusception, if the overall condition is good, there is no abdominal distension, no apparent dehydration, and no electrolyte disorders, ultrasound-guided hydrostatic enema, air enema, or barium enema can be performed. If the intussusception lasts more than 48 to 72 hours, or if the duration is shorter but the condition is severe, with intestinal necrosis or perforation, surgical treatment is required.