What is Hirschsprung's disease? Is it easy to treat?

Hirschsprung's disease is a congenital disease caused by abnormal development of ganglion cells, which leads to intestinal muscle dysfunction. The treatment is relatively complicated, but surgery can effectively relieve symptoms. Due to the lack of intestinal ganglion cells, newborns cannot defecate normally and have severe constipation and abdominal distension. The diagnosis is usually confirmed shortly after birth through lower gastrointestinal tract angiography or anorectal manometry. The main treatment is surgical resection of the intestinal segment without ganglion cells and reconnection of the normal intestine to restore normal intestinal function. Most children can have a normal quality of life after surgery, and early diagnosis and intervention are very important for improving prognosis.

Common surgical methods include the Swenson procedure, the Duhamel procedure, and the Soave procedure. Each procedure has different techniques but the same purpose, which is to ensure that the healthy intestinal segment is smoothly connected to the digestive system. The Swenson procedure directly removes the diseased segment and pulls the healthy segment down to the anus; the Duhamel procedure creates a bypass between the rectum and the new segment of the colon; the Soave procedure cuts the inner mucosa and wraps the healthy segment. Postoperative care is crucial, and parents need to pay attention to the child's bowel movement frequency and abdominal distension. The doctor will provide further guidance based on the specific recovery situation. Postoperative complications such as intestinal obstruction and infection require timely treatment, and regular follow-up is also critical to evaluating the recovery effect.

Common surgical methods include the Swenson procedure, the Duhamel procedure, and the Soave procedure. Each procedure has different techniques but the same purpose, which is to ensure that the healthy intestinal segment is smoothly connected to the digestive system. The Swenson procedure directly removes the diseased segment and pulls the healthy segment down to the anus; the Duhamel procedure creates a bypass between the rectum and the new segment of the colon; the Soave procedure cuts the inner mucosa and wraps the healthy segment. Postoperative care is crucial, and parents need to pay attention to the child's bowel movement frequency and abdominal distension. The doctor will provide further guidance based on the specific recovery situation. Postoperative complications such as intestinal obstruction and infection require timely treatment, and regular follow-up is also critical to evaluating the recovery effect.

Parents and caregivers should regularly observe the nutritional status of children and ensure that their diet is rich in fiber and has enough water to facilitate the recovery of digestive function. A low-residue diet should be adopted in the early postoperative period, and then a normal diet structure should be gradually restored. Pay attention to daily hygiene, prevent infection, and adjust diet and activities in time according to the doctor's advice. If related symptoms improve or worsen, seek medical attention immediately and do not delay treatment. Parents can also seek professional care and psychological support to help children better adapt to the postoperative recovery period and improve their overall quality of life.