Abstract
Measurement of intraluminal anorectal pressures and cineradiographic studies were carried out on 15 infants and children with Hirschsprung's disease and 18 patients who had undergone radical operation for the disease. The results were compared with those obtained from 50 normal infants and children. It was revealed that the chronic and severe constipation seen in Hirschsprung's disease was caused by lack of propulsive movement in aganglionic portion of the colon and absence of normal recto-sphincteric reflex. Studies on postoperative infants revealed that propulsive movement of the ano-rectrum and ordinary recto-sphincteric reflex were recovered in patients treated by rectal myotomy with colectomy or Lynn's rectal myectomy. On the other hand, recto-sphincteric reflex was not restored in those who had undergone Swenson's rectosigmoidectomy.
