Hirschsprung Disease occurs when nerves are missing in parts of the colon, leading to bowel obstruction. Learn about its symptoms, causes and treatment! Hirschsprung disease (HD) is a congenital disorder defined by the absence of ganglion cells (GC) at the Meissner's plexus of the submucosa and Auerbach's plexus of the muscularis in the terminal rectum that extends in a variable distance proximally.[1] Its prevalence varies from 1 to 1.63 per 10,000 births.[2] Hirschsprung's disease Prevalence: 1 in 3,000 births. Ultrasound diagnosis: The condition is characterized by congenital absence of intramural parasympathetic nerve ganglia in a segment of the colon. The aganglionic segment is unable to transmit a peristaltic wave, and therefore meconium accumulates and causes dilatation of the lumen of the bowel. Hirschsprung 's disease is a birth defect in which nerves are missing from parts of the intestine, causing constipation and other symptoms. Learn about the causes, types, diagnosis, treatment and complications of this genetic disorder.