NOVEL METHOD AND INSTRUMENT FOR NONFLUOROSCOPY AIR ENEMA FORTREATING INTUSSUSCEPTION IN CHILDREN

THE SPECIFIC AIM OF THIS WORK IS TO DEMONSTRATE AND IMPROVE A SAFE AIR-ENEMA TECHNIQUE FOR NONFLUOROSCOPY TREATMENT OF INTUSSUSCEPTION IN CHILDREN AND TO DEVELOP A NOVEL SINGLE-CHIP MICROPROCESSOR-BASED INSTRUMENT FOR REAL-TIME ON-SITE ASSESSMENT OF THE RESULT OF THE AIR-ENEMA TREATMENT. THE TECHNICAL APPROACH WILL EMPLOY THE PRESSURE-SENSING, DENSITY-SENSING, AND SOUND-SENSING TECHNIQUES, WITH MICROPROCESSOR CLOSED-LOOP FEEDBACK. THREE SIGNIFICANT SYMPTOMS-THE OCCURRENCE OF THE RECANALIZATION SOUND, THE DROP IN INTERCOLON PRESSURE, AND THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ABDOMINAL MASS-DETECTED BY THIS NOVEL INSTRUMENT WILL BE USED TO INDICATE THE SUCCESS OF THE TREATMENT. THE SUCCESS OF THIS WORK WILL PROVIDE PEDIATRICIANS WITH A UNIQUE MEANS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF INTUSSUSCEPTION IN INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN. THE NEW METHOD IS NONINVASIVE AND NONFLUOROSCOPIC. IT AVOIDS THE HARMFUL X-RAY RADIATION AND ELIMINATES THE CHANCE OF FATAL ACCIDENTS SUCH AS COLONICPERFORATIONS; THUS, IT IS EXTREMELY SAFE IN COMPARISON WITH THE PREVIOUS METHODS. THE OTHER ADVANTAGES OF THE NEW TECHNIQUE INCLUDE SIMPLER OPERATION, SUBSTANTIALLY SHORTER RECOVERY TIME, NO COMPLICATIONS, NO ANESTHESIA REQUIRED, AND LOW COST.