Chronic constipation in childhood. A report of 78 patients

AIM: To assess the aetiology and the clinical patterns of chronic constipation in children. METHODS: A total of 78 patients (62% boys, mean age: 4.6 years) were enrolled in this retrospective study. For each patient, we collected these data: clinical features, radiological data, rectal manometry and rectal biopsy results, treatment and follow up. RESULTS: Functional constipation was the most frequent cause of chronic constipation (49 cases, 62.8%) followed by Hirschsprung's disease (19 cases, 24.3%). Rectal manometry, performed in all suspected Hirschsprung's disease, concluded to the absence of inhibitory rectoanal reflex in 17 of them. Rectal biopsy concluded to segmental absence of parasympathetic ganglion cells in eleven of them. Therapeutic approach consists of treatment of functional constipation by laxatives, enemas and dietary fibers in respectively 22, 12 and 6 children. Two other patients had a biofeedback re-education. Treatment was successful in 9 patients and unsuccessful in 2 others. Seven children with Hirschsprung's disease underwent Soave's (n = 3), Swenson's (n = 3) and Duhamel's procedures (n = 1). Outcome was favourable in five of them and complicated by stenosis in 2 others. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that functional constipation is the most frequent cause of chronic constipation in children and that Hirschsprung's disease is the first organic cause of chronic constipation indicating the need of rectal manometry for diagnostic confirmation.