Faecal composition after surgery for Hirschsprung's disease

Complications of endorectal pull-through for Hirschsprung's disease

In 10 years, 57 infants with Hirschsprung's disease underwent endorectal pull-through (ERPT). Postoperatively, 3 patients died. Of the 44 survivors with an intact endorectal anastomosis aged more than 3 years, 23 (52%) had an excellent result, and of the 28 children more than 5 years old, 23 (82%) had a satisfactory result. Of the 53 known survivors of all ages, 18% suffered from diarrhea with intermittent incontinence and 5 (9.4%) had undergone a Duhamel procedure within 4 years of ERPT.

The effect of a glucose polymer mixture (caloreen) on stool composition in normal neonates

Stool composition was studied in 10 newborn infants following (a) a modified milk formula (Cow & Gate Premium) and (b) a high energy formula [104 kcal (435 kJ) per 100 ml] in which the additional energy was provided in the form of 10 per cent Caloreen. The only significant difference in stool composition in the Caloreen-fed babies was a lower sodium concentration. The results suggest that the high energy diet did not produce diarrhoea or other changes in the stool composition which might have an adverse effect on the infant.

Stool output and composition in the chronic non-specific diarrhoea syndrome

Stool output and composition were studied in 7 children with chronic, non-specific diarrhoea syndrome and the results were compared with those of children with malabsorption due to cystic fibrosis or to bacterial overgrowth syndrome, and with stools from controls. Daily quantities of stool, fat, and total bile acids were normal in patients with chronic, non-specific diarrhoea syndrome. Faecal sodium concentration was high compared with that of controls or patients with cystic fibrosis. The extractable water phase of stools appreciably increased in patients with chronic, non-specific diarrhoea syndrome and contained 50% of the total stool bile acids; this was also the case in patients with bacterial overgrowth syndrome. It is suggested that a secretory state of the large-bowel due to mucosal exposure of large quantities of bile salts in the extractable water phase may be contributory to the diarrhoea of chronic, non-specific diarrhoea syndrome.