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Hirschsprung Disease (HD)

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Treatment for Hirschsprung Disease

Hirschsprung (pronounced HURSH-sprung) Disease (HD), is a disease of the * large intestine, which usually occurs in children.

Pull-through Operation

Hirschsprung Disease is treated with surgery. The surgery is called a pull-through operation. There are three common ways to do a pull-through, and they are called the Swenson, the Soave, and the Duhamel procedures. Each is done a little differently, but all involve taking out the part of the intestine that doesn't work and connecting the healthy part that's left to the * anus. After pull-through surgery, the child has a working intestine.

Before Surgery: The diseased section is the part of the intestine that doesn't work	Step 1: The doctor removes the diseased section.	Step 2: The healthy section is attached to the * rectum or anus.

Ostomy

Often, the pull-through can be done right after the diagnosis. However, children who have been very sick may first need surgery called an * ostomy. This surgery helps the child get healthy before having the pull-through. Some doctors do an ostomy in every child before doing the pull-through.

In an ostomy, the doctor takes out the diseased part of the intestine. Then the doctor cuts a small hole in the baby's * abdomen. The hole is called a * stoma. The doctor connects the top part of the intestine to the stoma. * Stool leaves the body through the stoma while the bottom part of the intestine heals. Stool goes into a bag attached to the skin around the stoma. This bag must be emptied several times a day.

Step 1: The doctor takes out most of the diseased part of the intestine.	Step 2: The doctor attaches the healthy part of the intestine to the stoma (a hole in the abdomen).

Ileostomy and Colostomy

If the doctor removes the entire large intestine and connects the * small intestine to the stoma, the surgery is called an * ileostomy. If the doctor leaves part of the large intestine and connects that to the stoma, the surgery is called a * colostomy.

Later, the doctor will do the pull-through. The doctor disconnects the intestine from the stoma and attaches it just above the anus. The stoma isn't needed any more, so the doctor either sews it up during surgery or waits about 6 weeks to make sure that the pull-through worked.

Definitions For This Page - In Alphabetical Order

* Abdomen
Pronounced - AB-duh-men
The abdomen is the area between the chest and the hips in the front of the body.

* Anus
Pronounced - AY-nus
Anus is the opening at the end of the large intestine. Stool leaves the body through this opening.

* Colostomy
Pronounced - koh-LAW-stuh-mee
Colostomy is surgery to connect the colon to a hole in the abdomen.

* Ileostomy
Pronounced - il-ee-AW-stuh-mee
Ileostomy is surgery to connect the bottom of the small intestine (ileum) to a hole in the abdomen.

* Large Intestine
Pronounced - in-TESS-tin
The large intestine is a long tube that makes stool and carries it out of the body.

* Ostomy
Pronounced - OSS-tuh-mee
Ostomy is a surgery to connect part of the intestine to a hole in the abdomen.

* Rectum
Pronounced - REK-tum
Rectum is the last section of the large intestine.

* Small Intestine
The small intestine is the organ where most digestion occurs. It measures about 22 feet and includes the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. More about Small Intestine.

* Stoma
Pronounced - STO-mah
Stoma is a hole on the outside of the body, made by surgery. Stool leaves the body through the hole, instead of through the anus.

* Stool
Stool is solid waste from the body, the material that gets passed in a bowel movement.

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References:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)
October 2004
digestive.niddk.nih.gov

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