Establishing a National Rate of Rectal Biopsy Positivity in the Diagnosis of Hirschsprung Disease

Nationwide analysis of 7,225 rectal biopsies across 52 pediatric hospitals reveals a consistent 21.5% positivity rate for Hirschsprung disease, with approximately 1 in 4 biopsied infants proceeding to surgery. No correlation exists between hospital surgical volume and biopsy positivity, though patients at high-positivity institutions travel significantly farther for care.