Trypsin activity in stool and duodenal aspirate of neonates for differential diagnosis of intestinal obstruction.

The diagnosis of a non-surgical cause of delayed passage of meconium in a neonate may be challenging to the pediatric surgeon. The usefulness of determining trypsin activity (TA) in stool and duodenal aspirate for the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (CF) and the existence of an entity called transient deficiency of trypsin (TTD) was assessed in 49 neonates over a 14-month period. TA was determined by a gelatin liquefaction technique.