How is Hirschsprungs disease treated?
Surgery is the only proven way to treat Hirschsprung’s disease. The surgeon will remove the part of the intestine that is missing ganglion cells and will reattach the healthy intestine to the anus. After your child heals, he or she will have a functioning intestine. For children who have been very ill, two surgeries may be needed. In the first surgery, called a colostomy, the surgeon will remove the area of the intestine that is missing the ganglion cells. The surgeon then creates a small hole (called a stoma) in your child’s abdomen. The top part of the intestine is then attached to the stoma. For a while, stool leaves the body into a collection bag attached to the stoma while the rest of the intestine heals. In a second operation, the surgeon will connect the healed intestine to the anus and sew the stoma closed.
