[Stenosing ganglioneuromatosis of the small intestine with ileus and ileal rupture].

Report on a 64-year-old man who presented with ileus and rupture of the ileum due to diffuse ganglioneuromatosis of the small bowel. The patient had a 16-year history of recurrent ileus. In addition, there were clinical and radiographic signs of an inflammatory bowel affection which were interpreted as Crohn's disease, a diagnosis which could not be proven by pathologic examination of the resection specimen. The features of intestinal ganglioneuromatosis and its possible relation to the accompanying inflammation are discussed in the light of the pertinent literature.