title: Mortality due to constipation and short-segment Hirschsprung's disease.
abstract: We report a case of mortality secondary to constipation. A 12-year-old child with a history of constipation from the age of 9 years presented in moribund condition with intestinal obstruction secondary to idiopathic constipation. He underwent laparotomy and died within 24 h of operation. At postmortem there was no evidence of abnormalities of the enteric nervous system. A 2nd case of early neonatal death from Hirschsprung's disease is presented to demonstrate that short-segment aganglionosis can be detected at postmortem. Enterocolitis can rapidly progress and be fatal in short-segment Hirschsprung's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK. shailinder.singh@mail.qmcuh-tr.trent.nhs.uk
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arbuckle
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Manglick
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cass
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003248:Constipation / Q000150:complications*; D004760:Enterocolitis / Q000209:etiology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006627:Hirschsprung Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male