Hirschsprung’s disease
Alternative Names
Congenital megacolonSymptoms
- Constipation
- Failure to pass meconium shortly after birth
- Failure to pass a first stool within 24 - 48 hours after birth
- Malabsorption
- Poor weight gain
- Slow growth (child 0-5 years)
- Swollen belly
- Vomiting
- Watery diarrhea (in the newborn)
Exams and Tests
During a physical examination, the doctor may be able to feel loops of bowel in the swollen belly. A rectal examination may reveal a loss of muscle tone in the rectal muscles.
Tests used to help diagnose Hirschsprung's disease may include:
- Abdominal x-ray
- Anal manometry (a balloon is inflated in the rectum to measure pressure in the area)
- Barium enema
- Rectal biopsy
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