Introduction
Intussusception is a common cause of acute abdominal pain and intestinal obstruction in children worldwide. However, in areas with limited health-care resources, it is more frequently associated with severe complications and poor outcomes due to delays in diagnosis and treatment. Although nonsurgical treatments have improved outcomes worldwide, many children in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) still require surgery for this condition. This study reviews the available evidence on surgical outcomes for pediatric intussusception in SSA.
Methods
We conducted a systematic search across multiple databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, African Journals Online, and Google Scholar—for studies published from 1991 to 2024 that reported on surgical treatment of pediatric intussusception in SSA. From these studies, we extracted key details such as patient demographics, symptoms, diagnostic approaches, surgical procedures, complications, and mortality rates. Using random-effects meta-analysis, we calculated pooled prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Finally, we evaluated study quality with the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale.
Results
Twenty-four studies involving 2078 children from 11 SSA countries were included. The pooled mean age at presentation was 13.2 mo, with 64% of cases occurring in males. The classic triad (intermittent abdominal pain, vomiting, and bloody stools) was present in 50.4% (95% CI: 37.3–63.4), and the mean duration of symptoms before presentation was 3.45 d. Ultrasound was used in 58.3% (95% CI: 49.2–66.9), whereas clinical diagnosis alone accounted for 34.7%. Manual reduction was the most common surgical procedure (55.2%; 95% CI: 49.9–60.6), followed by resection with anastomosis (38.2%; 95% CI: 31.0–45.3). Postoperative complications occurred in 24.5% (95% CI: 18.5–30.5), with surgical site infection being the most frequent. The pooled mortality rate was 12.4% (95% CI: 9.2–15.6), substantially higher than global averages.
Conclusions
Pediatric intussusception in SSA is characterized by delayed presentation, high reliance on surgical management, and unacceptably high mortality and complication rates. Strengthening early diagnosis, expanding access to nonoperative reduction, and improving surgical capacity are essential to reduce the burden of this condition in the region.
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