Background: single-stage transanal endorectal pull-through (TEPT) is a new technique for surgery of Hirschsprung's disease (HD). TEPT can be assisted by laparoscopy (laparoscopic assisted transanal pull-through, LATP) or with non-additional procedure (total transanal endorectal pull-through, TTEP). This study was undertaken to evaluate the long-term outcome of these approaches in children with HD.
Methods: we retrospectively studied 131 patients (112 males and 19 females) aged 7 days to 14 years who underwent single-stage TEPT from October 2003 to July 2008. The medical records were reviewed for pre-, intra- and immediate post-operative complications. The data on stool pattern and complications were collected during the follow-up. Outcome was measured by continence evaluation score.
Results: no patients had intraoperative complications, but 5 had minor immediate postoperative complications. Late postoperative complications in 12 patients included enterocolitis (4 patients, one with severe enterocolitis died 7 months after operation), soiling (6) and constipation (2). There was a significantly higher frequency of stool in patients aged more than 36 months and those with a resected colon more than 30 cm (P<0.05). LATP showed significantly higher frequency of stool and soiling (P<0.05). Of the 54 patients who were older than 3 years at the time of follow-up, continence score was normal in 10, good in 39, fair in 3, and poor in 2. Seventy-seven patients achieved good bowel control in 12.8 ± 8.11 months after operation, 93.5 5% of whom within 24 months. Stool function was not improved in patients more than 30 months old after operation.
Conclusions: the long-term outcome of single stage TEPT was excellent. There were few postoperative complications, and stool pattern improved gradually to an excellent level within 24 months. Internal plication can be a good option for reducing the dilated proximal colon.