Open Proctocolectomy for Hirschsprung’s Disease Mudassir Shah Akhter, MD1; Marcus Lester R. Suntay, MD, FPCS, FPSPS, FPALES2 1Oregon Health and Science University 2Philippine Children’s Medical Center
Hirschsprung’s disease is the main genetic cause of functional intestinal obstruction. Most cases are diagnosed in the first few months of life given classical presentation and ease of testing with rectal suction biopsy. The disease is due to the absence of enteric ganglion cells in the distal colon that results in functional constipation. Resection of the affected segment and bringing the normal bowel close to the anus has been the mainstay of treatment. Due to advances in surgical treatment over the past decades, a significant reduction in morbidity and mortality has been observed, and the previously multistage procedure can now be completed in one stage, as presented here.
Richard Hodin, MD Chief, Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital
The patient in this case is a 29-year-old female who had a long history of medically refractory ulcerative colitis. Three months previously, she had undergone a laparoscopic proctocolectomy with ileoanal J-pouch reconstruction and loop ileostomy. Here, Dr. Richard Hodin at MGH reverses the ileostomy.
Marcus Lester R. Suntay, MD, FPCS, FPSPS, FPALES World Surgical Foundation, Philippines Training Officer of the Division of Pediatric Surgery Philippine Children’s Medical Center
In this case, Dr. Lester Suntay performs a proctocolectomy on a 4-year-old male with Hirschsprung’s disease while on a surgical mission in the Philippines with the World Surgical Foundation.
