Anatomically identical short-segment Hirschsprung's disease in three male siblings

Abstract

Three male children with identical short-segment Hirschsprung's disease born to a young married couple are reported. There was no positive family history despite an extensive search. There were no associated abnormalities. Although sex-modified multifactorial inheritance, with males having a lower threshold of genes for expression of Hirschsprung's disease, is accepted, the identical expression of the disorder in the three siblings presented suggests a dominant, possibly X-linked gene with variable penetrance. Another possibility is that an identical micro-environmental factor was present prenatally resulting in all three boys having Hirschsprung's disease. This is the first report of three siblings with identical short-segment Hirschsprung's disease.