[Neuronal colon dysplasia in adulthood. Diagnosis, clinical aspects and therapy]

In patients with primary chronic constipation (n = 18) and diverticulosis of the sigmoid (n = 17) biopsies were examined enzyme-histochemically and the diagnosis of neuronal colonic dysplasia of the rectosigmoid was established. In eleven controls however a normal innervation was observed (p less than 0.001). Patients with neuronal colonic dysplasia usually failed to respond to conservative methods of treatment. Indication for surgery depended upon the duration and severity of the symptoms. The actual treatment--partial lateral submucous sphincterotomy, resection of the sigmoid colon or subtotal colectomy--was determined by the extent of the morphologically and functionally altered intestinal segment.