[Functional outcomes in postsurgery for Hirschsprung´s disease]

To analyze functional outcomes of patients operated for Hirschsprung's disease (HD).

Retrospective study of patients with HD (2000-2014). We analyzed surgical technique, age at diagnostic and treatment, amount of resected bowel, complications and their influence on functional outcomes.

Of the 44 diagnosed with HD, 37 were operated in our center. Men 29 (78.4%). With associated pathology 7 (18.9%), and 5 (13.5%) made their debut with enterocolitis. Diagnostic average age 1.04 (0.0 to 7.1 years) and operation average age 1.4 (0.3 to 9.3 years). We did transanal endorectal pull-through (TERPT) in 17 (45.9%) patients and transabdominal approach (TAB) in 20 (54.1%). Received postoperative dilations 8 (21.6%) patients. Functional outcomes were evaluated at an average age of 9.6 (4.7-15.7years) incontinence/soiling were found in 6/28 (21.4%) and constipation in 5/28 (17.9%). The highest rate of incontinence/ soiling was present in 41.7 % TERPT vs. 6.2% TAB (p= 0,036). However, the average age at follow-up in patients with incontinence/soiling was 5.9 ± 1.3 years old, less than the 10,6 ± 3.2 years in the ones without incontinence/soiling (p< 0,001). We found that the 5 cases of constipation arose in patients with TAB (p= 0, 044), and likewise all were operated under 1 year of age.

Despite the well known benefits of the TERPT over the TAB, we found a greater degree of incontinence/soiling in the TERPT, which could be explained by a less follow up, since incontinence/soiling improves with age. On the other hand there is a higher rate of constipation in the TAB that lasts in time.