We would like the authors to note the recent review on the subject in Lane et al. “The Appendix and Aganglionosis. A Note of Caution-How the Histology Can Mislead the Surgeon in Total Colonic Hirschsprung’s Disease”, [2] This report showed that the appendix is not reliable in determining whether there is Hirschsprung’s disease as many normal appendices have no ganglion cells. When we looked at ...

Colonic inertia, total or segmental, is a known cause of constipation, yet its etiology is poorly understood and its treatment not satisfactory. Although the colonic electric activity has been studied by many investigators, the colonic pacemakers that are assumed to generate the electric waves, are scarcely addressed and their location, to our knowledge, has not been determined. The current com...

BACKGROUND Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction, also known as Ogilvie syndrome, is an uncommon postoperative complication of total hip and total knee arthroplasty that is characterized by massive colonic dilatation and the potential for substantial morbidity and mortality. METHODS We conducted a retrospective case-control study of 1170 total hip and knee arthroplasties performed by one surgeon f...

This study investigated the dynamic shifts in mucosa-associated microbiota composition and mucosal morphology in the colon of sheep fed a high grain (HG) diet. A total of 20 male sheep were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 5 for each). The sheep in first group received hay diet. The animals in other 3 groups were fed an HG diet for 7 (HG7), 14 (HG14), or 28 (HG28) days, respectively. Colon...

Development of colonic diverticulosis is a function of age and declining colonic wall mechanical strength. The latter is partly a consequence of changes in the collagen structure. Collagen from unaffected human colons (n=20, age range 20-80 years) and those with colonic diverticulosis (n=5, age range 67-80 years) were obtained at necropsy. The total collagen content was measured as the hydroxyp...

BACKGROUND Stressful events in the early period of life (for example, maternal deprivation) have been shown to modify adult immune and gastrointestinal tract functions. The present study aimed to establish whether maternal deprivation affects colonic epithelial barrier and the development of an experimental colitis in adult rats. METHODS Male Wistar rat pups were separated during postnatal da...

BACKGROUND Colonic atresia and stenosis are rare entities. On average 1 case per year of colonic atresia is being seen in most of pediatric surgical centers and to date less than 10 cases of colonic stenosis have been reported. MATERIAL AND METHODS The medical record of patients of colonic atresia and stenosis managed during March 2006 to March 2010 was reviewed. RESULTS A total of 15 patie...

Short chain (C2-C6) fatty acids are produced in the colon through bacterial fermentation of mainly dietary fibre. Butyrate (C4) possesses antineoplastic effects on human colon carcinoma cells, and epidemiological studies indicate that high fibre diets may reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer. The role of dietary fibre during colorectal carcinogenesis might therefore be related to its ferme...