Histopathological analysis of the enteric nervous system in children with constipation

Jovan Jevtic ,
Jovan Jevtic

Institute of Pathology, Medical faculty , Belgrade , Serbia

Milica Skender Gazibara ,
Milica Skender Gazibara

Medical faculty, Institute of Pathology , Belgrade , Serbia

Sanja Sindic Antunovic ,
Sanja Sindic Antunovic

University Children’s Hospital “Tirsova” , Belgrade , Serbia

Marija Lukac ,
Marija Lukac

University Children’s Hospital “Tirsova” , Belgrade , Serbia

Dragana Vujevic ,
Dragana Vujevic

University Children’s Hospital “Tirsova” , Belgrade , Serbia

Milos Lazic ,
Milos Lazic

Medical faculty, Institute of Pathology , Belgrade , Serbia

Radmila Jankovic
Radmila Jankovic

Medical faculty, Institute of Pathology , Belgrade , Serbia

Published: 01.04.2018.

Volume 34, Issue 1 (2018)

pp. 10-10;

Abstract

Aim: Determination of frequency of patologic findings and types of pathologic findings in enteric nerve plexus (ENP) in colon biopsies in children with impaired bowel motility, specifically chronic constipation. Introduction: Chronic constipation is relatively common in children, and is most often a functional disorder that is responsive to dietary regime treatment. Rarely, some cases require biopsy and histopathologic analysis of ENP. Materials and Methods: Research consists of 299 colon biopsies taken from children with impaired bowel motility. Biopsies were analysed in Institute of pathology, Medical faculty in Belgrade, in the period of time from the year 2008 to 2018. Data analysis included standard methods of descriptive and analytic statistics. Results: Number of analysed biopsies was 588. Biopsies were taken from 184(61,5%) boys and 115(38,5%) girls. Most common referral diagnosis for biopsy was Hirschspung’s disease (HD) (153/299, 51,2%). Pathologic changes in ENP were found in 46,1% of patients (138/299). Histopathologic analysis confirmed clinical suspicion for HD in 48,4%(74/153) of patients. Most frequent pathologic finding secondary to HD were immature ganglion cells (26/299, 8,7%), ectopic position of ganglia in muscle layer of colonic wall (6/299, 2%), and unclassified dysganglioses (5/299, 1,7%). In six patients, cause of constipation was eosinophilic proctitis and/or mienteric ganglionitis. Acetilcholin esterase as diagnositic metod was applied in 29 patients. Immunohistochemical analises were used in 24 patients. Conclusion: HD and immaturity of ganglion cells are by far most frequently diagnosed causes of constipation in colon biopsies in pediatric patients. Eosinophilic proctitis and/or mienteric ganglionitis are rare causes of constipation in children.

Keywords

Citation

Copyright

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 

Article metrics

Google scholar: See link

The statements, opinions and data contained in the journal are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publisher and the editor(s). We stay neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Most read articles

Partners