Analysis of Outcomes After Surgical Correction for Hirschsprung’s Disease: Are the Long-Term Results of the Transanal and Transabdominal Pull-Through Operations Equally Satisfying for Children and Their Parents?

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse the long-term outcome after surgical correction of Hirschsprung’s disease using a standardised questionnaire designed specifically to address the long-term results, in correlation to the physical examination of each patient. The data was collected from the medical records of patients treated over a 15 year period (2000–2014). Sixty-two patients were treated, 33 using one-stage and 29 using multistage surgical procedures. Twenty-seven children took part in the whole study, which consisted of personal interview, completing the questionnaire and physical examination. The Duhamel-Martin and transanal endorectal pull through techniques were used. Statistical analysis was performed using STATISTICA 10. The statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The Mann-Whitney’s test and the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient were used. The most common side effect after surgical treatment was faecal incontinence (23 patients). There was no correlation between the method of the surgery and number of side effects. Postoperatively, there were significant correlations (p < 0.05) between the number of loose stools and the growth of these patients, 48% of the children were outside the normal centile (10–90) and 74% for weight, with consideration to their sex and age. This group of patients was below the 10th centile for weight and growth. There are significant deviations in the patients’ development after surgical treatment of Hirschsprung’s disease. The long-term results after surgical procedure were satisfactory for children and their parents.