THE TREATMENT AND POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS OF HIRSCHSPRUNGS-DISEASE - A 10-YEAR EXPERIENCE

One hundred and ten patients with Hirschsprung's disease diagnosed and treated from 1981 to 1990 at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, were studied retrospectively. Eighty (72.7%) were treated by the Boley modification of the Soave procedure, 13 by the original Soave procedure, 13 had a Duhamel operation, and 4 had other procedures. Postoperative mortality was 2.7% (3 patients, 2 of whom died of early complications). Early postoperative complications occurred in 29 patients (26%); the most common was bowel obstruction, which included anastomotic obstruction (16 cases). Eight of these patients required anal dilatation to resolve obstruction. Enterocolitis occurred in 5 patients. There were no significant differences in incidence of early complications related to surgical procedure. Late postoperative complications occurred in 43 (39%) cases. Enterocolitis developed in 31 patients, with 19 requiring anal dilatation; 17 had bowel obstructions at various levels. The incidence of bowel obstruction was significantly higher in post-Boley patients (P < 0.05). Length of follow-up was up to 10 years (average: 3.9 years). At the final follow-up (average age: 5.4 years) nearly 20% of patients were constipated, and 20% had some degree of incontinence or soiling. One half of the patients had normal bowel habits.