Can I take a bath after an enema for intussusception?

Written by He Zong Quan
General Surgery
Updated on June 14, 2025
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Patients with intussusception may experience a variety of symptoms including abdominal pain, a mass, and bloody stools, and may need an air enema for reduction. If symptoms disappear after the enema reduction and imaging suggests that the intussusception has been reduced, then the condition is improving. Since the enema does not cause localized wounds or obvious external trauma, it does not affect bathing. Intussusception often occurs in children, while in adults it is usually due to a structural disease, especially tumors, and a definitive diagnosis is needed for proper management. As long as the patient has not undergone surgical treatment, they can bathe.

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Written by Hu Qi Feng
Pediatrics
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Does intussusception require a CT scan?

Intussusception is commonly diagnosed through routine abdominal ultrasound examinations, which have a positive rate of over 90%. In the ultrasound, the transverse section of the intussusception can show concentric circles or target ring-shaped mass images, and the longitudinal section may reveal the sleeve sign. Additionally, a barium enema can be employed, along with X-ray imaging. Under X-ray, the lead point of intussusception appears as a mass shadow, and air enema reduction treatment can be performed concurrently. Generally, CT is not used as a routine diagnostic tool.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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Causes of Intussusception in the Elderly

Intussusception refers to an obstruction caused by one segment of the intestine entering an adjacent segment, which can occur at any age. In adults, over 85% of intussusception cases can be attributed to organic lesions, typically tumors, but also possibly due to polyps or diverticula in the intestines. Typical symptoms of intussusception may include abdominal pain, an abdominal mass, and jelly-like bloody stool. In adults, intussusception is generally treated surgically. The surgical approach often involves exploratory laparotomy, possibly involving intestinal resection and anastomosis. For the resected part, reinforced suturing is usually required. If a primary anastomosis cannot be tolerated, procedures such as creating a stoma or exteriorizing the intestine may be performed, awaiting stabilization of the condition before further treatment.

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Written by Bai Yan Hui
Pediatrics
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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.

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Written by Hu Qi Feng
Pediatrics
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Infant Intussusception Symptoms and Treatment

Clinical manifestations of intussusception include: firstly, abdominal pain, which is paroxysmal, regular, and characterized by sudden episodes of colicky pain. The child may cry, appear restless, draw knees to the abdomen, have a pale face, and experience pain that lasts for several minutes or longer. The pain subsides, and the child may fall asleep quietly, but the pain typically recurs at intervals of ten to twenty minutes. Secondly, vomiting is an early symptom, initially reflexive and containing curds and food residue, later possibly including bile. Thirdly, bloody stools are an important symptom, with about 85% of cases passing jelly-like mucoid bloody stools within six to twelve hours after onset. Fourthly, an abdominal mass is often located in the upper right abdomen below the costal margin, where a slightly prominent intussusception mass can be felt. In terms of systemic symptoms, the general condition is good in the early stages, with no symptoms of systemic poisoning. As the disease progresses, the condition worsens, and complications such as intestinal necrosis or peritonitis may develop, leading to deterioration of systemic symptoms and possibly resulting in dehydration, high fever, coma, shock, and other toxic symptoms. Treatment methods include both surgical and non-surgical treatments.

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Written by Hu Qi Feng
Pediatrics
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What department should I go to for infant intussusception?

Intussusception often occurs in infants and young children, mainly presenting with vomiting, abdominal pain, and bloody stools. The first department usually visited is the emergency pediatrics. If intussusception is confirmed, treatment may involve surgery or non-surgical reduction. Therefore, after confirming intussusception, the patient needs to be transferred to pediatric surgery or general surgery for inpatient treatment.