Functional megacolon and how to deal with it
AUTHORS : Malyavkin B.G.
RELEVANT UNIVERSITIES : Odessa, Ukraine
YEAR : 2005
The treatment of chronic constipation in children has been and remains a difficult problem. Differential diagnosis of congenital (Hirschsprung’s disease) and
idiopathic, or functional, megacolon is also difficult, because even a histological examination of the intestine does not give a definite answer. The presence or
absence of ganglion cells in the Auerbach plexus is not a definitive confirmation or denial of Hirschsprung’s disease. Therefore, in the diagnostic plan, so far it is
necessary to rely only on clinical and radiological data. So, the appearance of persistent constipation at a very early age, and radiographically – the expansion of
the large intestine in front of its funnel-shaped stenotic area indicate a congenital megacolon.