Q43: Other congenital malformations of intestine
Q43.1: Hirschsprung disease
The intestines are like a tube. There is a hollow space on the inside. The intestinal wall lies around this hollow space.
The intestine develops before birth. Nerves grow into the intestinal wall at this stage. The nerves are important because they affect the movements of the intestines. The intestines alternately contract and relax. These movements carry the stool forward through the intestines.
In your case, the nerves in the intestinal wall have not developed fully. The last part of the intestines is usually affected by this. However, other sections of the intestines may be affected, too. This results in strong contractions of the affected part of the intestines. This can produce various symptoms. It sometimes takes a long time for a baby to pass stools after birth, for example. Difficulty passing stools may also be experienced later. In some cases, so much stool may build up in the intestines that it becomes very wide. This can result in the intestines becoming inflamed.
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