Surgical treatment for Hirschsprung’s Disease: An ERNICA animation for parents and families
Educational content from recorded physician discussions — not medical advice. Talk to your (or your child's) care team about your situation.
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What the experts said
Hirschsprung's disease is also known as agangliosis of the colon
Surgical removal of the affected part is usually performed 2 to 3 months after diagnosis, when the baby is strong enough and growing well
Surgery is performed when there are no signs of enterocolitis (inflammation of the bowel)
The surgery is performed under general anesthetic
The aim of surgery is to remove the aganglionic bowel, which is the affected part with no ganglion cells present
The transition zone should be removed, which is the area between the aganglionic part and the ganglionic bowel with normal ganglion cells
The remaining bowel is connected to the anal canal in a pull-through procedure to restore fecal movement
During the operation, tissue samples can be taken to confirm the presence of ganglion cells
The procedure used to be done by open surgery with a large incision
Nowadays, when possible, the procedure is done transanally via the anal canal, sometimes assisted by laparoscopy
Different pull-through techniques exist including transanal pull-through, Swenson, Duhamel, and Soave procedures
Surgical technique selection depends on the child, the length of affected bowel, surgeon preference, and hospital resources
Preservation of the anal canal is crucial to maintain continence
After surgery, the new connection between bowel and anal canal must be unobstructed and surgical wounds must heal well
After surgery, patients may experience ongoing difficulties including constipation and lack of control over bowel movements
Sometimes support with bowel management is necessary after surgery
After surgery, individuals with Hirschsprung's disease may remain prone to bowel infections known as enterocolitis
Structured regular follow-up care by a multidisciplinary team is essential for babies with Hirschsprung's disease
Identifying complications or difficulties early is very important
Post-operative symptoms can improve as children grow older