title: Uncommon causes of postoperative chronic diarrhoea mimicking enterocolitis in Hirschsprung's disease: is there a role for digestive endoscopy?
abstract: Severe chronic diarrhoea secondary to enterocolitis is a severe complication of Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR). Persistent outlet obstruction, immunologic issues, and mucin/mucous imbalance can cooperate in the development of this complication. Furthermore, isolated reports described severe postoperative chronic diarrhoea mimicking enterocolitis in patients with sucrase-isomaltase deficiency, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or intestinal microvillus atrophy. This paper is aimed in describing three patients from our HSCR series who experienced severe chronic postoperative diarrhoea secondary to such uncommon associated anomalies: sucrase-isomaltase deficiency (one patient) and IBD (two patients). With an appropriate sucrose-free diet or immunosuppressive therapy these patients improved dramatically and their diarrhoea settled. These associated anomalies can be diagnosed with digestive endoscopies (both gastro-duodenoscopy and colonoscopy). Therefore, we developed a diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for patients with chronic diarrhoea after a pull-through, which includes digestive endoscopy to be performed in selected cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, IRCCS G. Gaslini Institute, Largo G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genoa, Italy. pinipr@tin.it
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pini Prato
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Felici
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gentilino
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giunta
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avanzini
authors.forename: Girolamo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mattioli
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coccia
authors.forename: Arrigo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barabino
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gandullia
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jasonni
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000209:etiology*; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D004760:Enterocolitis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006627:Hirschsprung Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period