The subjects were 119 patients (149 air reductions) with intussusception whom we observed from April 1981 to December 1990 and in whom we observed the obvious presentaions under fluoroscopy during air reduction. These subjects were aged 2 months to 9 years. Of 149 air reductions (including recurrences), 140 were successful with a reduction rate of 94%. Air pressure during reduction were <90, 90〜120, 120〜150 and 150〜180mmHg for 33, 47, 24 and 6 cases, respectively. Nine cases including 3 with reduction perforations were operated. Of these 9 cases, 5 including the above 3 cases underwent enterectomy, the remaining 4 required only manual reductions for ileal intussusceptions. The above 3 cases of reduction perforations occured at reduction air pressures of 130, 140 and 180mmHg, respectively. They showed neither symptomatic aggravation nor intracavitary intestinal contents upon labarotomy, thanks to quick intracavitary de-airing just after perforation leading to favorable postoperative courses. Recurrence was noted in 16 cases (13.4%) at a frequency of 1〜6, but air reduction was successful in all cases. Those patients who had at least 2 recurrences received a contrast enema or colic fiberscopy, but none of them showed any organic disease other than lymphoid hyperplasia. The analytical results of reduction air pressure and reduction perforation in these cases, as well as in operated and recurrent cases are reported in this study, together with additional consideration of the related literature.
