ACASE OF MEGACOLON ASSOCIATED WITH CEREBRAL INFARCTION

This paper describes a 72-year-old male patient with megacolon successfully undergone artificial anus This paper describes a 72-year-old male patient with megacolon successfully undergone artificial anus cerebral infarction and suffered from incontinence of urine and constipation since 4 years ago. In the resected specimen psuedomelanosis coli was found on mucous membrane but no organic stricture was shown. Histologic feature of the dilated sigmoid colon revealed a decrease in mumber and atrophy of nerve plexus, vacuolation of nerve cells, and hypertrophy of muscular tunics. Idiopathic megacolon is a relatively rare disease and 30 cases have been reported in Japan during the past 10 years. In this case his history of cerebral infarction and a decreased number and degeneration of nerve plexus of enteric wall suggested a possible denervation due to cerebral infarction. However, from two, facts, no organic lesion on the colon and a negative result in acetylcholine esterase stain by colon biopsy, a possibility of adult megacolon could mot be denied. Further accumulation of experience for this disease including neurological investigation might be essential.