Laparoscopic-assisted endorectal pull-through for Hirschsprung’s disease. A retrospective study

OBJECTIVES To summarize the efficacy of the laparoscopic-assisted transanal-endorectal pull-through procedure for Hirschsprung's disease (HD). METHODS Between May 2006 and May 2013, 22 children with HD undergoing laparoscopic-assisted endorectal pull-through procedures were retrospectively analyzed. The operative time, pathology, intraoperative blood loss, recovery time for gastrointestinal function, postoperative hospital stay, complications, and defecation functions of the patients were analyzed. RESULTS The procedure was successfully completed in all 22 patients without conversion to open surgery. The operative time was 105-190 minutes (mean, 160.4 minutes), and the intraoperative blood loss was 20-50 ml. The mean time for the recovery of gastrointestinal function was 22 hours, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was 8 days. All patients had 1-3 defecations per day at 6 months postoperatively without constipation, soiling, or stoma stenosis. CONCLUSION The laparoscopic-assisted transanal-endorectal pull-through procedure is a safe and feasible technique for patients with HD.