Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2025

Tissue Engineering of the Intestine in a Murine Model
Published on: December 1, 2012
Achieving Digestive Autonomy and Gastrointestinal Continuity in a Patient with Short Bowel Syndrome Secondary to
Alejandro R Velasquez1,2, Thomas O Xu3, Yu-Ting Liu3
1Department of Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction, Children's National, Washington, District of Columbia, United States.
Insights
Serial transverse enteroplasty successfully treated a rare case of jejunal atresia and Hirschsprung's disease. This allowed a child to achieve nutritional autonomy and undergo successful pull-through surgery, avoiding long-term parenteral nutrition dependence.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Gastroenterology
- Neonatal Care
Background:
- Concomitant jejunal atresia and Hirschsprung's disease is a rare congenital condition.
- This combination significantly increases the risk of short bowel syndrome and parenteral nutrition dependence in affected children.
- Management challenges include the feasibility and timing of surgical pull-through procedures.
Observation:
- A patient presented with jejunal atresia and a delayed diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease.
- The patient developed short bowel syndrome, requiring an end jejunostomy and parenteral nutrition.
- Initial presentation at age 2 was due to failure to thrive from an obstructed jejunostomy and enterocolitis.
Findings:
- Completion of subtotal colectomy and jejunostomy revision using serial transverse enteroplasty (STEP) was performed.
- STEP effectively managed dilated bowel and increased bowel length.
- The patient successfully weaned off parenteral nutrition by age 5, achieving nutritional autonomy.
Implications:
- Serial transverse enteroplasty is a viable technique for managing complex cases of jejunal atresia and Hirschsprung's disease.
- This approach can lead to nutritional autonomy in pediatric patients with short bowel syndrome.
- Successful STEP facilitates subsequent gastrointestinal reconstruction, such as ileoanal pull-through, improving long-term outcomes.
Abstract:
Concomitant presentation of jejunal atresia and Hirschsprung's disease is rare and places children at high risk for developing short bowel syndrome and parenteral nutrition dependence, which can affect the feasibility/timing of pull-through. A patient was born with jejunal atresia with a delayed diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease. After several procedures and bowel resections, the patient was ultimately left with an end jejunostomy and long Hartman's pouch with short bowel syndrome, dependent on parenteral nutrition. The patient initially presented to our institution at age 2 with failure to thrive secondary to an obstructed/dilated jejunostomy and mild enterocolitis of their defunctionalized segment. The patient subsequently underwent completion of subtotal colectomy and revision of jejunostomy utilizing a serial transverse enteroplasty to manage the dilated bowel and gain length. The patient was able to wean off parenteral nutrition and achieve nutritional autonomy by age 5. Following this, the patient was able to undergo an ileoanal pull-through. After the pull-through, the patient was able to pass stool independently and suffered no major complications to date. Serial transverse enteroplasty can be successfully utilized in patients with a history of Hirschsprung's disease and jejunal atresia to achieve nutritional autonomy and ultimately reestablish gastrointestinal continuity with pull-through.
Related Concept Videos
Inflammatory Bowel Disease V: Surgical Management
Here are some common surgical interventions for IBD:
Enteral Nutrition II: Nasointestinal and Gastrostomy Feeding
Nasointestinal Feeding
Nasointestinal feeding involves placing a tube...
Renewal of Intestinal Stem Cells

