Morphometrie der Ganglien und Nervenzellen des Plexus submucosus bei der intestinalen neuronalen Dysplasie des Erwachsenen

Intestinal neuronal dysplasia is a developmental abnormality of the plexus submucosus in the colon. In recent years this initially in children described dysganglionosis has also been found in adults with chronic constipation. The aim of this study was a morphometric characterization of intestinal neuronal dysplasia in the submucous plexus of adults. Biopsies of 10 adults with intestinal neuronal dysplasia were compared with biopsies of 10 healthy controls. Nerve cells and ganglia were stained selectively with a lactate dehydrogenase reaction. Morphometry was made with an optic electronic analysis system. The detection of 6 to 10 giant ganglia with more than 7 nerve cells in 15 biopsy sections proved to be the most characteristic diagnostic indicator of intestinal neuronal dysplasia. The number of giant ganglia in the submucous plexus was 20%. For a quantitative objectivation of intestinal neuronal dysplasia 15 biopsy sections with enough submucosa are necessary.