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How common is colonic elongation in children with slow-transit constipation or anorectal retention?

Yee Ian Yik1, David J Cook, Duncan M Veysey

  • 1F Douglas Stephens Surgical Research and Gut Motility Laboratories, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.

Journal of Pediatric Surgery
|July 21, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Transverse colon elongation is common in children with slow-transit constipation (STC). Sigmoid colon elongation was not more frequent in children with anorectal retention, suggesting colonic elongation may contribute to constipation.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Radiology
  • Colorectal Surgery

Background:

  • Colonic elongation is a potential factor in slow colonic transit and constipation.
  • Understanding the specific patterns of colonic elongation in pediatric constipation is crucial for diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the frequency of colonic elongation in children diagnosed with slow-transit constipation (STC) or anorectal retention.
  • To investigate if transverse colon elongation is associated with STC and sigmoid colon elongation with anorectal retention.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of nuclear transit scintigraphy data from 626 children (1999-2011).
  • Qualitative assessment for transverse and sigmoid colon elongation.
  • Categorization into slow-transit constipation (STC), normal proximal transit with anorectal retention (NT-AR), and rapid proximal transit (RT) groups.

Main Results:

  • Transverse colon elongation occurred in 23% of STC patients, significantly higher than in NT-AR (7%) and RT (3%) groups (P < .0001).
  • Sigmoid colon elongation showed no significant difference across the groups (STC: 4%, NT-AR: 6%, RT: 6%; P < .9).

Conclusions:

  • Transverse colon elongation is significantly more prevalent in children with STC.
  • Sigmoid colon elongation is not specifically associated with anorectal retention in this pediatric cohort.
  • Colonic elongation may be a contributing factor or a consequence of slow colonic transit in children.
Abstract

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