Contemporary management of Hirschsprung disease in New Zealand

The aim of this study was to report the contemporary management of Hirschsprung disease (HD) in New Zealand.

We undertook a national multi-centre retrospective review of all newly diagnosed cases of HD during a 16-year period (2000-2015). Demographics, genetic and syndromic associations, family history, radiology and histology results and surgical interventions were analysed.

A total of 246 cases (males:females 4:1) were identified, an incidence of 1:3870 live births. Short-segment disease was present in 81.7%, long-segment disease in 8.5%, total colonic aganglionosis in 6.5% and unknown in 3.3%. HD was diagnosed by 4 weeks' corrected gestational age in 67%. Thirty cases (12%) also had Trisomy 21. Fifty-three (21.5%) patients required a repeat rectal biopsy for definitive diagnosis. A contrast enema was performed in 55% and identified the transition zone with 69% accuracy. Primary pull-through surgery was undertaken in 59% (65% of short-segment cases) at a median age of 27 days; others were initially managed by a defunctioning stoma. The commonest definitive procedure was a Soave-Boley endorectal pull-through (79%) (or similar variant). During a median follow-up of 7.4 years, six (2.5%) survivors underwent a redo pull-through, 13 (5.5%) an appendicostomy, 16 (6.8%) a defunctioning stoma and 10 never had a definitive procedure. Total colonic aganglionosis was significantly more likely to be fatal (12.5% versus 0.5%, P < 0.0005) or associated with a permanent end stoma (27.5% versus 4.5%, P < 0.0005).

Most New Zealand born infants with short-segment HD are currently managed by primary pull-through, usually in the first months of life.