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Hirschsprung Disease Center - Tyler, TX

Tyler 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

Tyler, 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 Tyler

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Tyler Hospitals *

Mother Frances Hospital Tyler
800 E Dawson St
Tyler, TX 75701
(903)593-8441

Tyler ContinueCare Hospital
800 E Dawson St
Tyler, TX 75701
(903)531-4080

East Texas Medical Center Specialty Hospital
1000 S Beckham Ave
Tyler, TX 75701
(903)596-3600

East Texas Medical Center Tyler
1000 S Beckham Ave
Tyler, TX 75701
(903)597-0351

East Texas Medical Center Rehabilitation
701 Olympic Plaza Cir
Tyler, TX 75701
(903)596-3000

Texas Spine & Joint Hospital
1814 Roseland Blvd
Tyler, TX 75701
(903)526-8754

HEALTHSOUTH Tyler Rehabilitation Hospital
3131 Troup Hwy
Tyler, TX 75701
(903)510-7000

University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler
11937 US Hwy 271
Tyler, TX 75708
(903)877-3451

Laird Memorial Hospital
1612 S Henderson Blvd
Kilgore, TX 75662
(903)984-3505

East Texas Medical Center Jacksonville
501 S Ragsdale St
Jacksonville, TX 75766
(903)541-5000

Mother Frances Hospital Jacksonville
2026 S Jackson St
Jacksonville, TX 75766
(903)541-4500

ETMC Henderson
300 Wilson St
Henderson, TX 75652
(903)657-7541

East Texas Medical Center Quitman
117 N Winnsboro St
Quitman, TX 75783
(903)763-6300

East Texas Medical Center Gilmer
712 N Wood St
Gilmer, TX 75644
(903)841-7100

Cozby Germany Hospital
707 N Waldrip St
Grand Saline, TX 75140
(903)962-4242

East Texas Medical Center Athens
2000 S Palestine St
Athens, TX 75751
(903)676-1000

Good Shepherd Medical Center Longview
700 E Marshall Ave
Longview, TX 75601
(903)315-2000

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