NONOPERATIVE TREATMENT OF SIMPLE MECONIUM ILEUS - A SURVEY OF THE SOCIETY-FOR-PEDIATRIC-RADIOLOGY

To determine the practice pattern regarding nonoperative treatment of simple meconium ileus, a survey was sent to directors of 66 pediatric radiology departments in the USA and Canada. Thirty-nine responses wer e received reporting 1,236 patients. A wide variation of enema techniq ues and contrast media were used. While the success rate did not corre late with osmolality, mode of administration, catheter size, or perfor ation rate, there was a significantly higher overall success rate with the use of Gastrografin versus non-Gastrografin (p<0.00076) and the u se of additives such as Tween-80 and Mucomyst versus techniques withou t additives (p<0.00001). Perforation did not correlate with success ra te, osmolality, or type of contrast medium. The only two instances of rectal perforations were associated with the use of balloon-tip cathet er.