Aganglionosis

Aganglionosis is also known as Hirschsprung’s disease, abbreviated to HD, which is a disease of the large intestine (colon). HD usually occurs in children and causes constipation where the stool creates a blockage of the intestine, and some children are unable to have bowel movements at all. When stool fills up the large intestine this can result in infection, the colon bursting or perhaps death.

Causes of Hirschsprung’s Disease

HD usually develops before a child is even born, where the nerve cells fail to grow to the end of the intestine. Some children who have HD will also have other problems such as Down’s syndrome. It is unknown as to why these nerve cells stop growing, though it is not caused by the mother carrying the child.

Symptoms of Hirschsprung’s Disease

The symptoms will usually be present in young children, but will sometimes only occur in adolescence or adulthood. For newborns the symptoms will consist in the child not having their first bowel movement when they should, their abdomens may swell and they may also throw up a green liquid (bile).

Young children with HD will have constipation, and some may have more diarrhoea than normal. When blood is lost in the stool this may lead to anemia.

In teenagers and adults with HD they will usually have constipation and often have anemia.

Treatment for Hirschsprung’s Disease

There are a number of treatment methods for HD. Surgery is known as pull-through surgery where a part of the small intestine is removed and the rest is connected to a healthy section that works.

Some patients may first need surgery known as ostomy which helps children to become more healthy before facing pull-through surgery. This involves a diseased part of the intestine being removed, and hole being cut into the abdomen. This hole is known as a stoma and a bag is attached into which stool will go into.