Abstract:
The reliable Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)- stained method was used to find the pattern of AChE activity in rectal suction biopsies of newborn to I 3 year old children with Hirschsprung's disease (HD). They were divided in 3 age groups: newborn to 1 month, from 1 month to 6 months, and from 6 months to 3 years. The patient collection had occurred through the year of 1992. From this research, in less than 1 month patients, we found only thick nerve trunks in submucosa. Form 1 month to 6 month patients, the AChE activity increased in all layers. Fine or coarse nerve fibers were found in lamina propria, muscularis mucosae, and thick nerve trunk in submucosa. In the third group, more coarse nerve fibers were found in all layers. But in 2 cases, only thick nerve trunks in submucosa were seen. We concluded that, there was no unique pattern of AChE activity in patients older than 1 month, but 90.5 % (19 from 21 cases) thick nerve trunk occurred in submucosal layer.