NON-INVASIVE METHODS OF THE WORK-UP FOR ASSESSMENT OF MORPHOLOGIC AND FUNCTIONAL STATE OF THE SIGMOID WALL

Background: Prolonged colonic congestion in children with chronic constipation and dolichosigma are characterized  by a permanent imbalance of gut microflora, secondary inflammation and degeneration of the sigmoid wall. There is plenty of research papers on the optic non-invasive diagnostics in medicine, based on spectrophotometry and laser spectral analysis. Aim: To study morphologic and functional state  of the sigmoid wall for detection of inflammation  and  degeneration in the  sigmoid  wall and  optimization  of treatment of children with dolichosigma  and long-standing constipation. Materials and methods: From 2009 to 2014, 30 children with dolichosigma  were seen in the Department of Pediatric surgery of MONIKI. All patients  were  hospitalized  after unsuccessful conservative  treatment in in-patient  clinics of the Moscow Region. The children underwent a set of investigations  for objective assessment of degree of the secondary  inflammatory and degenerative abnormalities  in the sigmoid wall, such as microbiological assessment, cytological assessment and fluorescent  diagnostics.  Results:  There  was  no   caused  by dolichosigma. It maintains  chronic inflammation  and  may play an indirect  role in abnormalities  of gut  motor  function. Inflammatory and  degenerative abnormalities  were  confirmed by a cytological investigation  of wall-adjacent biopsy of the  sigma. The results of the  complex assessment showed  moderate inflammation  and degeneration in the  sigmoid wall in 20 children; subsequent conservative treatment of chronic colostasis was effective. Ten children had advanced secondary inflammatory and degenerative abnormalities of the  sigmoid  wall, with high  levels of elastin and collagen in the colon wall. Surgery was performed in 6 children with the highest degree of fibrous transformation of the sigma. Conclusion: Complex assessment of the sigmoid wall, including  fluorescent  diagnostics  and  microbiological and  cytological  investigations, allows for detection  and  description  of secondary  inflammatory and  degenerative abnormalities  and  subsequent choice of individualized treatment.

pediatric surgery, chronic constipation in children, dolychosigma, spectrophotometry