The Meconium-Plug Syndrome and Hirschsprung's Disease

Abstract

A mass of inspissated meconium in the distal colon or rectum is a relatively common cause of neonatal intestinal obstruction. The meconium-plug syndrome is unrelated to cystic fibrosis and meconium ileus. The clinical picture is frequently indistinguishable, without contrast study of the colon, from other forms of mechanical intestinal obstruction requiring laparotomy. A barium enema examination is almost always diagnostic, and use of this procedure usually results in dislodgement and passage of the plug.

No single cause for the excessive viscosity and tenaciousness of the obstructive meconium mass has been identified. Previous reports have generally emphasized the normal ganglion-cell content of the colon in affected patients.

Two infants are described who fulfilled all criteria for this syndrome but who were not rendered asymptomatic, as normally anticipated, by removal of the plug. Subsequent studies revealed the presence of Hirschsprung's disease in both patients. This diagnosis should be considered when an infant with meconium-plug obstruction of the colon fails to follow the usual satisfactory clinical course after the plug has been passed.

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