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Hirschsprung Disease Center - Corpus Christi, TX

Corpus Christi Pediatric Surgeon Doctors for Hirschsprung Disease

Type of Physician: Pediatric Surgeon

What is a Pediatric Surgeon?

A subspecialty certification by the Board of Surgery; practitioners are skilled in the management of surgical conditions in premature and newborn infants, children, and adolescents.

Specialty: Pediatric Surgery

Common Name: Children's Surgeon

Corpus Christi, Texas

Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. It is the principal city of the three-county Corpus Christi Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger Corpus Christi-Kingsville Combined Statistical Area. The translation from Latin of the city's name is Body of Christ, given to the settlement by the Spanish, in honor of the Blessed Sacrament (Eucharist). The city has been nicknamed The Sparkling City by the Sea, particularly in literature promoting tourism. The city is home to the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and is served by the Corpus Christi International Airport.
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Christi,_Texas)

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Hirschsprung's Disease

What is Hirschsprung's disease?

Hirschsprung's (HURSH-sprungz) disease, or HD, is a disease of the large intestine.

The large intestine is also sometimes called the colon. The word bowel can refer to the large and small intestines. Hirschsprung's disease usually occurs in children. It causes constipation, which means that bowel movements are difficult. Some children with Hirschsprung's disease can't have bowel movements at all. The stool creates a blockage in the intestine.

If Hirschsprung's disease is not treated, stool can fill up the large intestine. This can cause serious problems like infection, bursting of the colon, and even death.

Most parents feel frightened when they learn that their child has a serious disease. This information will help you understand Hirschsprung's disease and how you and the doctor can help your child.

Why does Hirschsprung's disease cause constipation?

Normally, muscles in the intestine push stool to the anus, where stool leaves the body. Special nerve cells in the intestine, called ganglion cells, make the muscles push. A person with Hirschsprung's disease does not have these nerve cells in the last part of the large intestine.

Healthy large intestine: Nerve cells are found throughout the intestine.

Hirschsprung's disease large intestine: Nerve cells are missing from the last part of the intestine.

In a person with Hirschsprung's disease, the healthy muscles of the intestine push the stool until it reaches the part without the nerve cells. At this point, the stool stops moving. New stool then begins to stack up behind it.

Sometimes the ganglion cells are missing from the whole large intestine and even parts of the small intestine before it. When the diseased section reaches to or includes the small intestine, it is called long-segment disease. When the di...

Recommended Reading Related to Hirschsprung's Disease

Intestinal Gas »

What causes belching?

The ability to belch is almost universal. Belching, also known as burping (medically referred to as eructation), is the act of expelling gas from the stomach out through the mouth. The usual cause of belching is a distended (inflated) stomach caused by swallowed air. The distention of the stomach causes abdominal discomfort, and the belching expels the air and relieves the discomfort. The common reasons for swallowing large amounts of air (aerophagia) are gulping food or drink too rapidly, anxiety, and carbonated beverages. People are often unaware that they are swallowing air. "Burping" infants during bottle or breastfeeding is important in order to expel air in the stomach that has been swallowed with the formula or milk.

Excessive air in the stomach is not the only cause of belching. For some people, belching becomes a habit and does not reflect the amount of air in their stomachs. For others, belching is a response to an...

Emergency Contact for Corpus Christi

  • In case of Emergency, call 911
  • Police (918) 596-9222
  • Fire (918) 596-9444

Nearby Corpus Christi Hospitals *

CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi Memorial
2606 Hospital Blvd
Corpus Christi, TX 78405
(361)902-4000

Corpus Christi Specialty Hospital
1310 Third St
Corpus Christi, TX 78404
(361)888-4323

CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi Shoreline
600 Elizabeth St
Corpus Christi, TX 78404
(361)881-3000

Dubuis Hospital Corpus Christi
600 Elizabeth St
Corpus Christi, TX 78404
(361)881-3223

Corpus Christi Medical Center Doctor's Regional
3315 S Alameda St
Corpus Christi, TX 78411
(361)761-1000

Driscoll Children's Hospital
3533 S Alameda St
Corpus Christi, TX 78411
(361)694-5000

CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital South Corpus Christi
5950 Saratoga Blvd
Corpus Christi, TX 78414
(361)985-5000

Corpus Christi Medical Center Bay Area
7101 S Padre Island Dr
Corpus Christi, TX 78412
(361)761-1200

Corpus Christi Medical Center The Heart Hospital
7002 Williams Dr
Corpus Christi, TX 78412
(361)761-6800

Kindred Hospital Corpus Christi
6226 Saratoga Blvd
Corpus Christi, TX 78414
(361)986-1600

Padre Behavioral Hospital
6629 Wooldridge Rd
Corpus Christi, TX 78414
(361)986-9444

Corpus Christi Medical Center Northwest
13725 Northwest Blvd
Corpus Christi, TX 78410
(361)241-4243

North Bay Hospital
1711 W Wheeler Ave
Aransas Pass, TX 78336
(361)758-8585

CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Kleberg
1311 General Cavazos Blvd
Kingsville, TX 78363
(361)595-1661

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