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.