Hirschsprung's disease overview

Hirschsprung's disease Microchapters
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Hirschsprung's disease, or congenital aganglionic megacolon, involves an enlargement of the colon, caused by bowel obstruction resulting from an aganglionic section of bowel (the normal enteric nerves are absent) that starts at the anus and progresses upwards. The length of bowel that is affected varies but seldom stretches for more than a foot or so.