Hirschsprung´s Disease vs. Small Left Colon Syndrome

Hirschsprung´s Disease vs. Small Left Colon Syndrome

Left picture: Here, a Hirschsprung´s disease is present with a transitional zone at the distal end of the descending colon. Right picture: In this newborn the diagnosis is a small left colon syndrome which is a temporary disorder of passage of the large intestine during the neonatal period. The contrast enema may be diagnostic not only for the Hirschsprung´s disease as such, but also permits to determine the extension of the aganglionosis; getting the latter information is otherwise not possible preoperatively except for invasive procedures.

Contrast enema in 2 neonates with absent passage of meconium and wind. Left picture: A narrow sigmoid colon is recognizable and a colon which is increasingly dilated from distally to proximally, and in which no haustration is recognizable. Right picture: The proximal loop of the sigmoid colon and the descendent colon are narrow in contrast to the wide transverse colon; a distinct haustration is visible in the descending colon.