title: Hirschsprung's disease. Identification of risk factors for enterocolitis.
abstract: From 1975 to 1985, 80 infants and children were treated at a major pediatric hospital for Hirschsprung's disease, 19 (24%) of whom developed enterocolitis. In 9 neonates (18%) and 4 infants (29%) enterocolitis was present at diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease, while 4 children acquired enterocolitis following a pull-through procedure. Significant risk factors for development of Hirschsprung's-associated enterocolitis (HAEC) were delay in diagnosis beyond 1 week of age and the presence of trisomy 21. HAEC did not occur more frequently in patients with long-segment aganglionosis, nor did an initial episode of HAEC confer a higher risk of recurrent enterocolitis. HAEC following a pull-through procedure was correlated with an anorectal stricture in three of four cases. Although neonates with HAEC had a low mortality rate (5%), their morbidity rate was 30% and their hospitalization was twice as long as neonates without enterocolitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Teitelbaum
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Qualman
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Caniano
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D004760:Enterocolitis / Q000209:etiology*; D006627:Hirschsprung Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors