Hirschsprung's disease - symptoms, treatment
Hirschsprung's disease is a congenital pathology characterized by total damage to the large intestine. According to statistics, the disease is diagnosed in girls 4 times more often than in boys. Hirschsprung's disease in newborns, as a rule, is accompanied by other problems in development - the nervous system, cardiovascular system, organs of the gastrointestinal tract are prone to pathology. This disease is often diagnosed in children with chromosomal abnormalities - for example, in patients with Down's syndrome 10 times more often than in newborns without it.
Symptoms of Hirschsprung's disease
Most often, pathology is detected in the first days of a newborn's life, but in some cases its signs are absent until adolescence. Obvious signs of the disease in newborns include:
- there is no discharge of primary feces (meconium);
- vomiting in which there is a small amount of bile;
- increased gas production;
- unstable stool - constipation alternates with diarrhea.
Symptoms of Hirschsprung's disease in older children:
- pronounced lag in physical development - short stature, inability to perform physical exercises;
- chronic constipation, which does not disappear even against the background of dietary correction and taking laxatives;
- significantly enlarged stomach - it literally bulges out in the child compared to her general thinness.
Due to constant constipation, the child's stool leaves with blood and this leads to anemia. In addition, intestinal infection and the progression of the inflammatory process of this part of the digestive system are possible, which provokes strong intoxication of the body.
Symptoms of Hirschsprung's disease in adults differ little from the above. Additional symptoms: nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and, as a result, a strong expansion of the colon.
How to treat congenital pathology
Surgical treatment of Hirschsprung's disease gives the greatest effect, the essence of which is the removal (excision) of the affected part of the intestine and the connection of healthy zones. Doctors often perform such an operation in two stages, but there are also cases of simultaneous execution of all manipulations. If two stages are meant, then first the affected part of the intestine is removed and the healthy intestine is removed into a special opening on the abdomen (colostomy) - the patient is forced to constantly wear a special container for collecting feces. As soon as the body adapts to the reduced intestine and its digestive system begins to work stably, the intestine is sutured and the colostomy is closed.
Operation for Hirschsprung's disease usually proceeds without complications, although in the early postoperative period constipation or diarrhea are possible, which are corrected with drugs.
Recommendations for Hirschsprung's disease
If the pathology is diagnosed and during the examination a lesion of a small part of the intestine was detected, then it is possible to do without surgical intervention. In this case, experts advise:
- regularly put siphon enemas;
- constantly take laxatives;
- adjust nutrition in the direction of increasing the number of vegetables and fruits in the menu;
- perform a complex of special therapeutic gymnastics.
Recommendations for Hirschsprung's disease when surgery is refused are given only by a doctor in tandem with a nutritionist and a physiotherapist - you need to make a diet and choose effective exercises individually.
On our site Dobrobut.com, you can make an appointment with specialists and get a consultation not only about congenital pathologies, but also undergo an examination for their exclusion when planning a pregnancy.
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