Distributions of interstitial cells of Cajal and ganglia in congenital intestine atresia

Objective To evaluate the distributions of Cajal cells and ganglia in congenital intestine atresia and to discuss the significance. Methods Immunohistochemical analysis of small bowel from patients with congenital intestine atresia (n = 16) and normal intestine was performed for c-kit and NSE. Results A significantly higher proportion of myenteric plexuses was c-kit and NSE positive expression in normal control than that in small bowel atresia ( P 0.05) . In the near section of the blind-ending, the farther from the blind-ending, the more Cajal cells and ganglia cells. In the 11cm segments, Cajal cells had normal expression of c-kit and NSE. Ganglia cells also had normal expression in the 8cm segments. Conclusion The postoperative motility disorders of gut after primary anastomosis in intestinal atresia may be related to the decrease of interstitial cells of Cajal and ganglia in the myenteric plexuses.