Hirschsprung Disease (cont.)
What is the treatment for Hirschsprung's disease??
Pull-through Surgery
Hirschsprung's 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.
Colostomy and Ileostomy
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. You will need to empty this
bag 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).
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.
Next: What will my child's life be like after surgery? »
- Colonoscopy - Learn about the colonscopy procedure, what it is, why it is performed, preparation, complications, alternatives and the after effects of the screening exam on MedicineNet.com
- Abdominal Pain - Learn about abdominal pain (pain in the stomach / abdomen) including causes, symptoms, how abdominal pain is diagnosed, and how abdominal pain is treated.
- Colostomy: A Patient's Perspective - Learn about colostomy surgery, colostomy care, colostomy questions, and information about colostomy recovery.
Latest Medical News
Digestion RSS