Electromanometrical investigations in patients with isolated neuronal intestinal dysplasia (NID).

In a retrospective study the manometrical findings of 27 patients with histochemically confirmed isolated NID were compared with the findings of 14 patients with habitual constipation. In a second group NID or other neuronal disorders of the distal colon were excluded by histology/histochemistry. Significant differences were found only for the amplitude and frequency of anorectal fluctuations and for presence or absence of rectoanal inhibitory reflexes (RAIR). All other investigated parameters were not significant. In conclusion a reliable diagnosis of isolated NID is only possibly by combined use of anorectal manometry and histochemistry. Nevertheless anorectal manometry remains an important tool for screening in constipative disorders and should be performed prior to other investigations i.e. radiology or biopsy.