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Hirschsprung Disease Center - Southaven, MS

Southaven 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

Southaven, Mississippi

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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 Southaven

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Southaven Hospitals *

Baptist Memorial Hospital Desoto
7601 Southcrest Pkwy
Southaven, MS 38671
(662)772-4000

Methodist Healthcare South Hospital
1300 Wesley Dr
Memphis, TN 38116
(901)516-3700

Delta Medical Center
3000 Getwell Rd
Memphis, TN 38118
(901)369-8100

Parkwood Behavioral Health System
8135 Goodman Rd
Olive Branch, MS 38654
(662)895-4900

HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital
1282 Union Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
(901)722-2000

Methodist University Hospital
1265 Union Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
(901)516-7000

LeBonheur Children's Medical Center
50 N Dunlap St
Memphis, TN 38103
(901)287-5437

Memphis Mental Health Institute
951 Court Ave
Memphis, TN 38103
(901)577-1434

Memphis VA Medical Center
1030 Jefferson Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
(901)523-8990

Regional Medical Center at Memphis
877 Jefferson Ave
Memphis, TN 38103
(901)545-7100

Saint Francis Hospital
5959 Park Ave
Memphis, TN 38119
(901)765-1000

Select Specialty Hospital Memphis
5959 Park Ave
Memphis, TN 38119
(901)765-1245

St Jude Children's Research Hospital
332 N Lauderdale St
Memphis, TN 38105
(901)495-3300

Baptist Memorial Hospital Memphis
6019 Walnut Grove Rd
Memphis, TN 38120
(901)226-5000

Baptist Memorial Restorative Care Hospital
6019 Walnut Grove Rd
Memphis, TN 38120
(901)226-1400

Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women
6225 Humphreys Blvd
Memphis, TN 38120
(901)227-9000

Methodist LeBonheur Germantown
7691 Poplar Ave
Germantown, TN 38138
(901)516-6418

Baptist Rehabilitation Hospital Germantown
2100 Exeter Rd
Germantown, TN 38138
(901)757-1350

Crittenden Regional Hospital
200 Tyler Ave
West Memphis, AR 72301
(870)735-1500

Baptist Memorial Hospital Collierville
1500 W Poplar Ave
Collierville, TN 38017
(901)861-9000

Methodist Healthcare North Hospital
3960 New Covington Pike
Memphis, TN 38128
(901)516-5200

Saint Francis Hospital Bartlett
2986 Kate Bond Rd
Memphis, TN 38133
(901)820-7000

Lakeside Behavioral Health System
2911 Brunswick Rd
Memphis, TN 38133
(901)377-4700

North Oak Regional Medical Center
401 Getwell Dr
Senatobia, MS 38668
(662)562-3100

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