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Hirschsprung disease; congenital megacolon; colonic aganglionosis; aganglionic megacolon

Etiology: - disorders in which congenital intestinal aganglionosis is seen include: a) trisomy 21 b) Waardenburg syndrome c) cartilage-hair hypoplasia d) Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome type II e) MEN2A & MEN2B f) primary central hypoventilation syndrome (Ondine-Hirschsprung disease) g) ABCD syndrome Epidemiology: - generally presents in infants - uncommonly presents in adults, generally in males Pathology: 1) congenital absence of parasympathetic innervation of the lower intestinal tract, resulting in congenital megacolon 2) absence of enteric neurons in the colonic submucosa & myenteric plexus 3) heterogeneous disorder Genetics: - associated with defects in: a) RET b) endothelin B receptor c) endothelin-3 (type 4) [3] d) GDNF (type 3) e) endothelin converting enzyme-1 f) neural cell adhesion molecule L1 (L1CAM) may modify effects of another Hirschsprung disease-associated gene - genetic variations in NRTN may contribute to Hirschsprung disease, in association with mutations of RET gene, & possibly mutations in other loci Clinical manifestations: - occurs as an isolated trait in 70% of patients - occurs with additional congenital anomalies in 18% of cases Laboratory: -> colonoscopy with full-thickness biopsy of affected mucosa Radiology: -> barium enema may show narrow segment of colon with proximal dilation Management: - Botox injection into the internal rectal sphincter - anorectal myomectomy

Related

megacolon

Specific

Hirschsprung disease with microcephaly & iris coloboma Hirschsprung disease, cardiac defects & autonomic dysfunction

General

aganglionosis icolonic motility disorder genetic disease of the gastrointestinal tract

Database Correlations

OMIM correlations MORBIDMAP 164761

References

  1. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998
  2. Mayo clinic: Hirschsprung's disease https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hirschsprungs-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20351556
  3. OMIM :accession 613712