Bowel perforation in Hirschsprung's disease

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Hirschsprung's disease is a congenital condition affecting the large intestine.
• Bowel perforation is a rare but serious complication in infants with Hirschsprung's disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the incidence and characteristics of bowel perforation in infants with Hirschsprung's disease.
• To identify risk factors and common sites of perforation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records for 45 infants with Hirschsprung's disease.
• Literature survey to analyze existing data on bowel perforation in this population.

Main Results:

• Two infants (4.4%) presented with bowel perforation.
• Infants under 4 months were at highest risk.
• Perforation commonly occurred in long-segment or total colonic disease, often within the aganglionic bowel.

Conclusions:

• Hirschsprung's disease should be considered in infants with pneumoperitoneum and distal bowel perforation.
• Timely diagnosis and management are critical for infants at risk.