Question

A baby failed to pass meconium. The structures absent in the disease are absent in which layer?

• A. Epithelial
• B. Submucosa
• C. Muscular
• D. Serosa

Hint:

In Hirschsprung disease, the absence of ganglion cells in the submucosal and myenteric plexuses leads to colonic dysfunction and failure to pass meconium.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The condition in question appears to be Hirschsprung's disease, a congenital disorder affecting the large intestine (colon). In this disease, the absence of ganglion cells causes a failure of the bowel to relax, leading to obstruction and the lack of passage of meconium in newborns.

To identify where these structures are absent, we need to understand the layers of the intestinal wall:

• Epithelial layer: The innermost layer lining the lumen.
• Submucosa: A connective tissue layer where the blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics are located.
• Muscular layer: Responsible for peristalsis, containing two layers of muscle fibers.
• Serosa: The outermost layer, a protective covering.

In Hirschsprung's disease, the ganglion cells, which are nerve cells, are absent. These cells are part of the Meissner's plexus and Auerbach's plexus:

• Meissner's plexus is located in the submucosa.
• Auerbach's (or myenteric) plexus is located between the layers of the muscularis propria.

Layer	Ganglion Cells/Structures
Submucosa	Meissner's plexus
Muscular layer	Auerbach's plexus

Thus, the direct answer to the question is that the structures (ganglion cells of Meissner's plexus) absent in the disease are absent in the submucosa. Hence, the correct answer is Submucosa.