POSTOPERATIVE ANORECTAL MANOMETRIC STUDY IN CHILDREN WITH HIRSCHSPRUNG'S DISEASE

Twenty-eight patients with Hirschsprung’s disease were investigated manometrically after operation. In those children who exhibited normal continence after surgery recto-sphincteric reflex was detected in 80％. On the other hand, in children who showed con-stipation and incontinence the rectosphincteric reflex was not seen. Hence we suggest that this reflex can be expected to appear in patients when: 1) a significant portion of the rectal wall has been preserved in the formation of a new ampulla of the rectum: 2) the total aganglionic segment of the colon has been removed; 3) myotomy has been performed as a routine. The anorectal manometry is a useful method to evaluate the postoperative sphincter-ic function in Hirschsprung’s Disease.