Clinical Observation of Congenital Aganglionic Megacolon in Infancy and Childhood

ABSTRACT

This clinical observation was carried out 24 cases of the congenital aganglionic megacolon in infancy and childhood admitted to Chonnam University Hospital during 10 years from 1965 to June 1976. The following results were obtained 1) The frequency was 1 to 500 admission patients. 2) Male to female ratio was 5 to 1 3) The familial ccurrence was not observed in this study and all infants were normal fullterm delivery. 4) The associated congenitalanomalies were mental retardation 2, inguinal hernia 1 and mongolism 1. 5) In majority of the cases, the symptoms occured oon after birth. 6) The clinical symptoms were abdominal distension(87.5%), vomiting(62.5%), constipation(62.5%), malnutrition(41.6%) and diarrhea(41.6%) in order of frequency. 7) The meconium was evacuated after digitalexamination or enema in 61.1%, and it passed spontaneously in remainder. 8) Positive findings of barium enema was noted as 26.7% in the group under the age of 2 months and 100% in the group over the age of 2 months. 9) The mortalityrate was 28.5% in the cases who had Swenson's pull-h-rough operation at the time of admission, and 20% in the case who had Swenson's pperation 6 or 12 months later after colostomy.