Diagnosis of Hirschsprung's Disease Excluded by Rectal Suction Biopsy

Abstract

HIRSCHSPRUNG'S disease usually presents as acute or chronic colonic obstruction in infants and children.^{1 , 2} There is defective parasympathetic nerve supply to the rectum or rectosigmoid or, occasionally, to longer colonic segments, characterized by absence of ganglion cells and presence of hypertrophied nonmyelinated nerve fibers in the submucosal and intermuscular areas of the segments.^{3 4 5} This causes ineffective peristalsis and apparent narrowing of the affected segment.⁶ Although the clinical picture and the radiologic findings may be sufficient to suggest Hirschsprung's disease strongly it is generally considered necessary to demonstrate absence of rectal ganglion cells to establish the diagnosis.Wedge rectal biopsies containing . . .