When viewing this topic in a different language, you may notice some differences in the way the content is structured, but it still reflects the latest evidence-based guidance.

Hirschsprung disease

Last reviewed: 11 Dec 2025
Last updated: 21 Jan 2025

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • vomiting
  • explosive passage of stool/gas
  • abdominal distension
  • delayed passage of meconium
  • faltering growth
  • chronic constipation
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • fever
  • diarrhea
  • bloody stool
  • abdominal tenderness
  • septic shock
  • cecal or appendiceal perforation
  • meconium plug syndrome
Full details

Risk factors

  • Down syndrome
  • male sex
  • family history
  • Shan-Waardenburg syndrome
  • Mowat-Wilson syndrome
  • Haddad syndrome
  • multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2)
Full details

Diagnostic investigations

1st investigations to order

  • plain abdominal x-ray
  • contrast enema
Full details

Investigations to consider

  • rectal biopsy
  • anorectal manometry
Full details

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

short-segment/long-segment disease: without enterocolitis

short-segment/long-segment disease: with enterocolitis

total colonic aganglionosis

Contributors

Authors

Lily S. Cheng, MD

Assistant Professor

University of Virginia

Charlottesville

VA

Disclosures

LSC is the co-author of a reference cited in this topic.

Kristy Lynn Rialon, MD

Associate Professor of Surgery

Division of Pediatric Surgery

Texas Children’s Hospital

Baylor College of Medicine

Houston

TX

利益声明

KLR declares that she has no competing interests.

鸣谢

Dr Lily S. Cheng and Dr Kristy Lynn Rialon would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Andrea Bischoff and Dr Alberto Peña, the previous contributors to this topic. AB and AP are co-authors of several references cited in this topic.

同行评议者

Ivo de Blaauw, MD, PHD

Pediatric Surgeon

Radboud University Nijmegen

Academic Medical Center

Nijmegen

Netherlands

利益声明

IdB declares that he has no competing interests.

Jose Manuel Tovilla, MD

Colorectal Pediatric Surgeon

Chief of the Colorectal Clinic

Hospital Infantil de Mexico Federico Gomez

Mexico

利益声明

JMT declares that he has no competing interests.

Daniel P. Doody, MD

Pediatric Surgeon

Department of Pediatric Surgery

Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston

MA

利益声明

DPD declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

参考文献

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

关键文献

Montalva L, Cheng LS, Kapur R, et al. Hirschsprung disease. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2023 Oct 12;9(1):54. 摘要

Kawaguchi AL, Guner YS, Sømme S, et al. Management and outcomes for long-segment Hirschsprung disease: a systematic review from the APSA outcomes and evidence based practice committee. J Pediatr Surg. 2021 Sep;56(9):1513-23.全文  摘要

Gosain A, Frykman PK, Cowles RA, et al. Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis. Pediatr Surg Int. 2017 May 33(5):517-21.全文  摘要

Kyrklund K, Sloots CEJ, de Blaauw I, et al. ERNICA guidelines for the management of rectosigmoid Hirschsprung's disease. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2020 Jun 25;15(1):164.全文  摘要

Granström AL, Irvine W, Hoel AT, et al. Ernica clinical consensus statements on total colonic and intestinal aganglionosis. J Pediatr Surg. 2024 Oct;59(10):161565.全文  摘要

参考文献

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
  • Hirschsprung disease images
  • 鉴别诊断

    • Meconium-plug syndrome
    • Cystic fibrosis (meconium ileus)
    • Small left colon syndrome
    更多 鉴别诊断
  • 指南

    • Management and outcomes for long-segment Hirschsprung disease: a systematic review from the APSA outcomes and evidence based practice committee
    • Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis
    更多 指南
  • padlock-locked登录或订阅即可浏览 BMJ Best Practice 临床实践完整内容

内容使用需遵循免责声明