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Hirschsprung Disease Center - Sparks, NV

Sparks 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

Sparks, Nevada

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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 Sparks

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Sparks Hospitals *

Northern Nevada Medical Center
2375 E Prater Way
Sparks, NV 89434
(775)331-7000

Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services
480 Galletti Way
Sparks, NV 89431
(775)688-2001

Renown Rehabilitation Hospital
1495 Mill St
Reno, NV 89502
(775)982-3500

West Hills Hospital
1240 E Ninth St
Reno, NV 89512
(775)323-0478

Renown Regional Medical Center
1155 Mill St
Reno, NV 89502
(775)982-4100

Willow Springs Center
690 Edison Way
Reno, NV 89502
(775)858-3303

VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System
1000 Locust St
Reno, NV 89502
(775)786-7200

St Mary's Regional Medical Center
235 W Sixth St
Reno, NV 89503
(775)770-3000

Tahoe Pacific Hospitals West
235 W Sixth St
Reno, NV 89503
(775)770-7980

Renown South Meadows Medical Center
10101 Double R Blvd
Reno, NV 89521
(775)982-7000

Tahoe Pacific Hospitals Meadows
10101 Double R Blvd
Reno, NV 89521
(775)331-1044

Incline Village Community Hospital
880 Alder Ave
Incline Village, NV 89451
(775)833-4100

Sierra Surgery Hospital
1400 Medical Pkwy
Carson City, NV 89703
(775)883-1700

Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
1600 Medical Pkwy
Carson City, NV 89703
(775)445-8000

Eastern Plumas Health Care Loyalton Campus
700 Third St
Loyalton, CA 96118
(530)993-1225

Tahoe Forest Hospital
10121 Pine Ave
Truckee, CA 96161
(530)587-6011

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