[Hirschsprung disease: histochemical technic for alpha-naphthyl-esterase in the intraoperative diagnosis of the proximal extent of the aganglionosis].

Intraoperative biopsies are required to confirm diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease and to determine exact extent of aganglionism. Authors report a new method for enzymo-histochemical intraoperative evaluation of aganglionic segment. Activity of non specific esterase (following Davis and Orstein technique, 1959) has been used to demonstrate presence or absence of intramural ganglion cells in sero-muscular intestinal biopsies, which had been taken at various levels in 34 patients with preoperative diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease. Authors consider histochemical technique as the most reliable, quick, simple and low-cost method for intraoperative evaluation of the length of aganglionic segment and, of course, to confirm diagnosis. Alpha-naphthyl-esterase is also of great help in the study of so-called pseudo-Hirschsprung.