Early intervention in Hirschsprung's disease: effects on enterocolitis and surgical outcomes

Background The timing of surgical intervention for Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) has been a topic of continued discussion. The objective of this study was to evaluate the significance of age at surgery in the management of HSCR by conducting a comparative analysis of the correlation between surgical age and midterm outcomes. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of children with HSCR who underwent one-stage laparoscopic assisted pull-through surgery with modified Swenson technology at our hospital between 2015 and 2019. The study population was stratified into two groups based on surgical age: patients who underwent surgery within a period of less than 3 months and those who underwent surgery between 3 and 12 months. The basic conditions, complications at 3-7 years after surgery, anal function (Rintala scale) and quality of life (PedsQLTM4.0) were compared between the groups. Results A total of 235 children (196 males and 39 females) were included in the study. No statistically significant differences in postoperative bowel function (P = 0.968) or quality of life (P = 0.32) were found between the two groups. However, there was a significant reduction in the incidence of Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis (HAEC) among individuals under the age of three months prior to undergoing surgical intervention (69.1%) compared to the incidence observed postsurgery (30.9%). This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion In the current study, the age at which surgery was performed did not exhibit a discernible inclination towards influencing mid-term anal function or quality of life. Early surgical intervention can effectively diminish the occurrence of HAEC, minimize the extent of bowel resection, and expedite the duration of the surgical procedure.