Rectal Suction Biopsy
The definitive test for Hirschsprung disease.
What is Rectal Suction Biopsy?
A tiny sample of the lining of the rectum is taken using a suction instrument and examined for nerve cells. Absent nerve cells confirm Hirschsprung disease.
- Normal
- The problem
- Healthy for comparison
Why It Is Asked For
This test is requested only when the answer would change what we do next.
- Delayed passage of meconium with a swollen tummy in a newborn
- Severe constipation dating from the earliest weeks of life
- A contrast enema suggesting a transition zone
- Because no other test is definitive
Before the Day
- Usually done at the cot side in a newborn without a general anaesthetic
- Older children may need a short anaesthetic
- Clotting is checked beforehand
On the Day
- The instrument is passed into the back passage and one or more small samples taken
- The rectal lining above the anal canal has little sensation, so it is usually well tolerated
- It takes only a few minutes
What the Results Show
- Absent nerve cells confirm Hirschsprung disease
- The laboratory usually reports within a few days
- An inadequate sample sometimes has to be repeated, which is frustrating but not harmful
Is It Safe?
- A small amount of bleeding from the back passage is common and settles
- Significant bleeding or perforation is rare
- Watch for heavy bleeding, fever or a swollen tummy afterwards and report it
Common Questions
If your question is not here, send it on WhatsApp and the hospital team will answer.
Dr. Pratheep Samraj
Consultant Paediatric & Neonatal Surgeon · Palliyadi, Kanyakumari
Super-specialist surgical care for newborns, infants and children, with expertise in paediatric urology, congenital anomalies, gastro-intestinal surgery and minimally invasive surgery.
Related Pages
This is the test that settles Hirschsprung disease. Nothing else confirms it.
If your child has been constipated since the newborn period and has been on laxatives for months, ask whether this has actually been done. Bring the treatment history with you.
Consultation 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM · 24-hour laboratory & pharmacy
In an emergency — green vomiting in a baby, a groin swelling that will not go back, severe tummy pain, or a newborn not passing urine or meconium — come straight to the hospital or to your nearest emergency department. Do not wait for a reply to a message.