Surgery and Tests for HD

To diagnose Hirschprungs disease, a doctor will do a few tests.
1. X-rays are used to see inside of the body. The doctor might fill the large intestines with Barium liquid so that the large intestines show up clearer.

2. A manometry may also be used to test to Hirshprungs disease. Manometry is when a small balloon is inflated inside of the rectum. If the rectum is normal, the muscles will relax but if the muscles don't relax, HD may be what is causing this. This test is usually used for older children and adults.

3. The last and most accurate test to find HD is called the biopsy. A doctor will remove a little piece of the large intestine and will look at this with a microscope. If the doctor sees that there are nerve cells missing, the child or adult has Hirschprungs disease.

To treat Hirschprungs disease, surgery is the only way that it can be fixed using two methods. There is the "Pull-through Procedure" and "Ostomy surgery." Using the "Pull-through Procedure," the surgeon removes the segment of the large intestines that is lacking nerve cells and then reconnects the segment with never cells to the anus, shortening the large intestines. Ostomy surgery is usually used with a child who has be suffering from HD for a while so that they can get better and then must get the pull through procedure. During Ostomy surgery, the surgeon will first take out the segment of large intestines that has this disease, and then the end of the healthy intestine is moved to an opening in the abdominal where a "stoma" is created. Rolling the intestines back and stitching it to the abdomen creates a stoma. An Ostomy pouch is attached to the stoma and worn outside the body to collect stool. After the Ostomy surgery, during the pull through procedure, the surgeon removes the stoma and closes the abdomen with stitches.