Operative Findings (Intussusception)

anus_01a_n.jpg: Operative findings in an infant. A segment of the small intestine is running from the left side of the patient and entering the terminal ileum and from there the ascending colon. The diagnosis is acute intussusception of the intestine; due to the increase in volume and the folding of the terminal ileum an intussuscept is present within the lumen. anus_01b_n.jpg: Operative findings in a similar case. The ileum enters the ascending colon. The latter is not fixed to the lateral abdominal wall. In contrast to figure anus_01a_n.jpg in which the invisible cecum and appendix are not involved in the intussusception (so-called ileocolic invagination), there is in figure anus_01b_n.jpg an ileocecal intussusception with involvement of cecum and appendix. In both cases the diagnosis is idiopathic intussusception which is typical for infancy. A missing fixation of the colon (= mobile ascending colon) is observed frequently in idiopathic invagination.