2024, Volume 17, Issue 6, pp 644 – 648

Therapeutic approaches in Hirschsprung’s disease: clinical cases

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Authors and Affiliations

Corresponding author Ionuț Daniel Răducan, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vasile Goldiş Western University of Arad, Arad, Romania E-mail: dani_raducan@yahoo.com

Abstract

Hirschsprung’s disease is a congenital disorder characterized by the absence of ganglion cells in the myenteric and submucosal plexuses of the colon, resulting in impaired peristalsis and functional intestinal obstruction. This condition affects approximately 1 in 5,000 newborns, with a higher prevalence in boys. Although first identified in the 17th century, its connection to chronic constipation was clearly established by Harald Hirschsprung in 1886. Contemporary treatment strategies emphasize early diagnosis, surgical excision of the aganglionic segment, and specialized postoperative care to restore normal colonic function and improve the quality of life for affected individuals. This article reviews current therapeutic strategies, highlighting advanced surgical techniques, diagnostic methods, and postoperative management. Two clinical cases illustrate the impact and treatment of the disease. The first case involves a 5-month-old male with severe malnutrition, dehydration, and acute enterocolitis, who underwent a right-side colostomy and later a Duhamel-type extramucosal sphincter-rectal-myotomy, showing favorable progress. The second case is a 1.5-year-old patient with a history of colostomy and ileostomy, requiring further surgery. Histopathological examinations in both cases revealed the absence of ganglion cells, confirming the diagnosis of Hirschsprung’s disease.

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About this article

PMC ID: 11407488
PubMed ID: 39296430
DOI: 10.25122/jml-2024-0307

Article Publishing Date (print): 6 2024
Available Online: 

Journal information

ISSN Printing: 1844-122X
ISSN Online: 1844-3117
Journal Title: Journal of Medicine and Life

Copyright License: Open Access

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.


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