Oral Lactulose-Induced Intussusception: A Rare Complication of Juvenile Colonic Polyp.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

As an osmotic laxative, lactulose offers superior palatability and comparable bowel-cleansing efficacy to PEG, making it suitable for resource-limited settings, but its hypertonicity may potentially increase the risk of intussusception in susceptible individuals (such as children with intestinal polyps).

Case presentation

This first reported case describes a 2-year-old boy with intermittent hematochezia who developed acute descending colonic intussusception confirmed by CT within hours of receiving lactulose (20 mL) for bowel preparation. Laparoscopic reduction and subsequent colonoscopy identified a large pedunculated juvenile polyp (25 × 28 mm) as the pathological lead point, which was endoscopically resected. The temporal link between lactulose administration

SUBMITTER: Tan H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12503633 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature