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: 28 Jan 2026
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 tests

1st tests to order

  • plain abdominal x-ray
  • contrast enema
Full details

Tests 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

Disclosures

KLR declares that she has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

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.

Revisores

Ivo de Blaauw, MD, PHD

Pediatric Surgeon

Radboud University Nijmegen

Academic Medical Center

Nijmegen

Netherlands

Declarações

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

Declarações

JMT declares that he has no competing interests.

Daniel P. Doody, MD

Pediatric Surgeon

Department of Pediatric Surgery

Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston

MA

Declarações

DPD declares that he has no competing interests.

Créditos aos pareceristas

Os tópicos do BMJ Best Practice são constantemente atualizados, seguindo os desenvolvimentos das evidências e das diretrizes. Os pareceristas aqui listados revisaram o conteúdo pelo menos uma vez durante a história do tópico.

Declarações

As afiliações e declarações dos pareceristas referem--se ao momento da revisão.

Referências

Nossas equipes internas de editoria e de evidências trabalham em conjunto com colaboradores internacionais especializados e pares revisores para garantir que forneçamos acesso às informações o mais clinicamente relevantes possível.

Principais artigos

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

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.Texto completo  Resumo

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.Texto completo  Resumo

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.Texto completo  Resumo

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.Texto completo  Resumo

Artigos de referência

Uma lista completa das fontes referenciadas neste tópico está disponível para os usuários com acesso total ao BMJ Best Practice.
  • Hirschsprung disease images
  • Diagnósticos diferenciais

    • Meconium-plug syndrome
    • Cystic fibrosis (meconium ileus)
    • Small left colon syndrome
    Mais Diagnósticos diferenciais
  • Diretrizes

    • 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
    Mais Diretrizes
  • padlock-lockedConectar-se ou assinar para acessar todo o BMJ Best Practice

O uso deste conteúdo está sujeito ao nosso aviso legal