do risk factors of poor surgical outcome exist?
INTRODUCTION: Long-term results after surgical treatment of Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) are not always as good as a surgeon may perceive. Several studies have tried to correlate preoperative features to the surgical outcome of HSCR, but none came to definitive conclusions. Our study is aimed at identifying risk factors of poorer long-term outcome after surgery for HSCR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred two patients with HSCR were included. Eighty had rectosigmoid aganglionosis and 22 had total colonic aganglionosis (TCSA). Preoperative variables were sex, associated anomalies, delayed meconium passage, preoperative enterocolitis, preoperative bowel obstruction, age at surgery, and number of pull-through procedures performed. Outcome measures were surgical complications, postoperative enterocolitis, perineal excoriations, constipation, continence, psychological self acceptance, and patients’ perspectives. These were evaluated with regard to preoperative features and length of aganglio