Diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease with particular emphasis on histopathology. A systematic review of current literature. Prz Gastroenterol. 2014;9:264-269. [PMID: 25395999 DOI: 10.5114/pg.2014.46160]

Delayed presentation of congenital sigmoid colon stenosis: a rare entity

Congenital sigmoid colon stenosis is a rare entity that can mimic Hirschsprung disease. Presentation of congenital colon stenosis is usually within first few weeks of life. Our case presented with features of distal bowel obstruction at 2 years of age with the history of chronic constipation and progressive abdominal distention from first week of life and bilious vomiting for the last 1 week. Clinical diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease was made. Contrast enhanced CT abdomen showed bowel obstruction with transition point at the level of proximal sigmoid colon. There was a short segment stenosis at the level of proximal sigmoid colon. Contrast enema showed stenosis at proximal sigmoid colon. The bowel distal to stenosis was normal in calibre. Similar findings were seen during surgery. Mesocolon was present in stenosed segment of the bowel. The resected stenotic segment showed adequate ganglion cells in histopathology.

Systematic orientation of fresh rectal suction biopsies improves histopathological diagnostics in hirschsprung's disease - a method description and preliminary report

BACKGROUND

Optimizing rectal suction biopsy (RSB) diagnostics in Hirschsprung's disease (HD) may shorten diagnostic time and prevent need for repeated biopsies.

AIM

To explore whether systematic orientation of fresh RSB specimens increased biopsy quality, diagnostic times, diagnostic efficacy, and histopathologic workload, and to explore these outcome measures for aganglionic specimens.

MATERIALS/METHODS

This was an observational case-control study conducted at a national referral center for HD on data collected from the local HD-diagnostic register. From 2019 each fresh RSB was oriented by the collector in a notch in a foam cushion, placed in a separate cassette, and sent in formalin for pathological analysis. Outcome measures of oriented RSB samples collected 2019-2021 were compared to those of non-oriented RSB samples collected 2015-2018. Staining/immunohistochemistry consisted of hematoxylin eosin, S-100 and calretinin.

RESULTS

78 children with 81 RSBs and 242 biopsy analyzes were included. The frequency of high-quality RSB specimens was higher in oriented: 40% (42/106) versus non-oriented 25% (34/136) (p = 0.018), the diagnostic turnaround time was shorter: 2 days (1-5) versus 3 days (2-8) (p = 0.015), and the number of additional sectioning/leveling/re-orientation per biopsy was lower: 7 (3-26) versus 16 (7-72) (p = 0.011). Specifically for aganglionic specimens, the frequency of high-quality biopsies was generally higher in oriented than in non-oriented RSB specimens: 47% (28/59) versus 14% (7/50) (p < 0.001); the diagnostic efficacy was higher 95% (19/20) versus 60% (9/15) (p = 0.027) and the diagnostic turnaround time shorter: 2 days (2-3) versus 3 days (2-8) (p = 0.036).

CONCLUSIONS

Systematic orientation of fresh RSB specimens improves HD diagnostics. Improvement was consistent in aganglionic specimens.

Interstitial Cells of Cajal and Enteric Nervous System in Gastrointestinal and Neurological Pathology, Relation to Oxidative Stress

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is organized into two plexuses-submucosal and myenteric-which regulate smooth muscle contraction, secretion, and blood flow along the gastrointestinal tract under the influence of the rest of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are mainly located in the submucosa between the two muscle layers and at the intramuscular level. They communicate with neurons of the enteric nerve plexuses and smooth muscle fibers and generate slow waves that contribute to the control of gastrointestinal motility. They are also involved in enteric neurotransmission and exhibit mechanoreceptor activity. A close relationship appears to exist between oxidative stress and gastrointestinal diseases, in which ICCs can play a prominent role. Thus, gastrointestinal motility disorders in patients with neurological diseases may have a common ENS and central nervous system (CNS) nexus. In fact, the deleterious effects of free radicals could affect the fine interactions between ICCs and the ENS, as well as between the ENS and the CNS. In this review, we discuss possible disturbances in enteric neurotransmission and ICC function that may cause anomalous motility in the gut.

A Case Report of Hirschsprung's Disease in a Neonate: Early Detection and Review of Management

Hirschsprung's disease is a rare disease characterized by the complete absence of ganglionic cells in the colon, thereby causing loss of peristalsis movement of the bowel. Most cases are diagnosed before the age of one. Here, we present a case of a newborn baby boy who was not feeding well and then developed a distended abdomen and began bilious vomiting. Blood mucoid stools were also observed. The diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease was confirmed through a full-thickness rectal biopsy, and the Duhamel surgical procedure was performed as a course of treatment all within the first few days of birth. No complications were reported, and the baby was safely discharged after seven days. This case demonstrates the importance of timely treatment after prompt diagnosis due to the early recognition of the severe symptoms. Even though this disease is rare, pediatricians should be trained to recognize and treat the child to prevent further detrimental outcomes.

Cholinergic Signaling Attenuates Pro-Inflammatory Interleukin-8 Response in Colonic Epithelial Cells

Infants affected by Hirschsprung disease (HSCR), a neurodevelopmental congenital disorder, lack ganglia of the intrinsic enteric nervous system (aganglionosis) in a variable length of the colon, and are prone to developing severe Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis (HAEC). HSCR patients typically show abnormal dense innervation of extrinsic cholinergic nerve fibers throughout the aganglionic rectosigmoid. Cholinergic signaling has been reported to reduce inflammatory response. Consequently, a sparse extrinsic cholinergic innervation in the mucosa of the rectosigmoid correlates with increased inflammatory immune cell frequencies and higher incidence of HAEC in HSCR patients. However, whether cholinergic signals influence the pro-inflammatory immune response of intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) is unknown. Here, we analyzed colonic IEC isolated from 43 HSCR patients with either a low or high mucosal cholinergic innervation density (fiber-low versus fiber-high) as well as from control tissue. Compared to fiber-high samples, IEC purified from fiber-low rectosigmoid expressed significantly higher levels of IL-8 but not TNF-α, IL-10, TGF-β1, Muc-2 or tight junction proteins. IEC from fiber-low rectosigmoid showed higher IL-8 protein concentrations in cell lysates as well as prominent IL-8 immunoreactivity compared to IEC from fiber-high tissue. Using the human colonic IEC cell line SW480 we demonstrated that cholinergic signals suppress lipopolysaccharide-induced IL-8 secretion via the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (a7nAChR). In conclusion, we showed for the first time that the presence of a dense mucosal cholinergic innervation is associated with decreased secretion of IEC-derived pro-inflammatory IL-8 in the rectosigmoid of HSCR patients likely dependent on a7nAChR activation. Owing to the association between IL-8 and enterocolitis-prone, fiber-low HSCR patients, targeted therapies against IL-8 might be a promising immunotherapy candidate for HAEC treatment.

LTBP3 Frameshift Variant in British Shorthair Cats with Complex Skeletal Dysplasia

We investigated a highly inbred family of British Shorthair cats in which two offspring were affected by deteriorating paraparesis due to complex skeletal malformations. Radiographs of both affected kittens revealed vertebral deformations with marked stenosis of the vertebral canal from T11 to L3. Additionally, compression of the spinal cord, cerebellar herniation, coprostasis and hypogangliosis were found. The pedigree suggested monogenic autosomal recessive inheritance of the trait. We sequenced the genome of an affected kitten and compared the data to 62 control genomes. This search yielded 55 private protein-changing variants of which only one was located in a likely functional candidate gene, LTBP3, encoding latent transforming growth factor β binding protein 3. This variant, c.158delG or p.(Gly53Alafs*16), represents a 1 bp frameshift deletion predicted to truncate 95% of the open reading frame. LTBP3 is a known key regulator of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and is involved in bone morphogenesis and remodeling. Genotypes at the LTBP3:c.158delG variant perfectly co-segregated with the phenotype in the investigated family. The available experimental data together with current knowledge on LTBP3 variants and their functional impact in human patients and mice suggest LTBP3:c.158delG as a candidate causative variant for the observed skeletal malformations in British Shorthair cats. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first report of LTBP3-related complex skeletal dysplasia in domestic animals.

UV-filter pollution: current concerns and future prospects

UV-filters are widely used in cosmetics and personal care products to protect users' skin from redamage caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Globally, an estimated 16,000 to 25,000 tonnes of products containing UV-filters were used in 2014 with modern consumption likely to be much higher. Beyond this use in cosmetics and personal care products, UV-filters are also widely used to provide UV-stability in industrial products such as paints and plastics. This review discusses the main routes by which UV-filters enter aquatic environments and summarises the conclusions of studies from the past 10 years that have investigated the effects of UV-filters on environmentally relevant species including corals, microalgae, fish, and marine mammals. Safety data regarding the potential impact of UV-filters on human health are also discussed. Finally, we explore the challenges surrounding UV-filter removal and research on more environmentally friendly alternatives to current UV-filters.

Rare Variant Hirschsprung Disease Presenting as Large Bowel Obstruction in Adulthood: Hypoganglionosis in the Anorectal Canal

Hirschsprung disease (HD) is a congenital bowel innervation disorder characterized by the absence of ganglion cells in the neural plexus of the colorectal wall. Variant HD describes a heterogeneous group of intestinal innervation disorders in which clinical presentation resembles HD despite the presence of ganglion cells seen in rectal biopsies. We present the first reported case of a rare variant HD, hypoganglionosis isolated in the anorectal canal, diagnosed in an adult who presented with a long history of constipation and treated with proctosigmoidectomy with coloanal anastomosis. Histopathology showed rare ganglion cells isolated in the anorectal canal.

Disparities in the gut metabolome of post-operative Hirschsprung's disease patients

Hirschsprung's disease (HD) is a congenital structural abnormality of the colon seen in approximately 1 to 5000 live births. Despite surgical correction shortly after presentation, up to 60% of patients will express long-term gastrointestinal complaints, including potentially life-threatening Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis (HAEC). In this study fecal samples from postoperative HD patients (n = 38) and their healthy siblings (n = 21) were analysed using high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry aiming to further unravel the nature of the chronic gastrointestinal disturbances. Furthermore, within the patient group, we compared the faecal metabolome between patients with and without a history of HAEC as well as those diagnosed with short or long aganglionic segment. Targeted analysis identified several individual metabolites characteristic for all HD patients as well as those with a history of HAEC and long segment HD. Moreover, multivariate models based on untargeted data established statistically significant (p < 0.05) differences in comprehensive faecal metabolome in the patients' cohort as a whole and in patients with a history of HAEC. Pathway analysis revealed the most impact on amino sugar, lysine, sialic acid, hyaluronan and heparan sulphate metabolism in HD, as well as impaired tyrosine metabolism in HAEC group. Those changes imply disruption of intestinal mucosal barrier due to glycosaminoglycan breakdown and dysbiosis as major metabolic changes in patients' group and should be further explored for potential diagnostic or treatment targets.

Comparison between Suction Rectal Biopsy and Full-Thickness Rectal Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Hirschsprung's Disease

Aim:

The aim of this study is to compare suction rectal biopsy (SRB) with full-thickness rectal biopsy (FTRB) in suspected cases of Hirschsprung's disease (HD).

Materials and Methods:

Between 2014 and 2018, we enrolled 41 consecutive children with suspected HD. We analyzed demographics, sex, age, clinical symptoms, radiological images, and biopsy reports. All the children had undergone X-ray of the abdomen and pelvis and contrast enema. All of them have undergone both SRB and FTRB, and their results were compared.

Results:

Out of 41 children, 26 were male and 15 were female. The children were aged from 5 days to 12 years. All of them presented with delayed passage of meconium, abdominal distension, and severe constipation. They all were on oral laxatives. The sensitivity and specificity of SRB are 80.95% and 90.00% when compared to FTRB which has 100% and 100%, respectively.

Conclusion:

FTRB is the gold standard test for diagnosing HD. SRB may be a good screening test in suspected HD cases. SRB is not as equal and effective as FTRB for diagnosing HD.

Lack of Mucosal Cholinergic Innervation Is Associated With Increased Risk of Enterocolitis in Hirschsprung's Disease

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) is a congenital intestinal motility disorder defined by the absence of enteric neuronal cells (ganglia) in the distal gut. The development of HSCR-associated enterocolitis remains a life-threatening complication. Absence of enteric ganglia implicates innervation of acetylcholine-secreting (cholinergic) nerve fibers. Cholinergic signals have been reported to control excessive inflammation, but the impact on HSCR-associated enterocolitis is unknown.

METHODS

We enrolled 44 HSCR patients in a prospective multicenter study and grouped them according to their degree of colonic mucosal acetylcholinesterase-positive innervation into low-fiber and high-fiber patient groups. The fiber phenotype was correlated with the tissue cytokine profile as well as immune cell frequencies using Luminex analysis and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis of colonic tissue and immune cells. Using confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, macrophages were identified in close proximity to nerve fibers and characterized by RNA-seq analysis. Microbial dysbiosis was analyzed in colonic tissue using 16S-rDNA gene sequencing. Finally, the fiber phenotype was correlated with postoperative enterocolitis manifestation.

RESULTS

The presence of mucosal nerve fiber innervation correlated with reduced T-helper 17 cytokines and cell frequencies. In high-fiber tissue, macrophages co-localized with nerve fibers and expressed significantly less interleukin 23 than macrophages from low-fiber tissue. HSCR patients lacking mucosal nerve fibers showed microbial dysbiosis and had a higher incidence of postoperative enterocolitis.

CONCLUSIONS

The mucosal fiber phenotype might serve as a prognostic marker for enterocolitis development in HSCR patients and may offer an approach to personalized patient care and new therapeutic options.

The Prevalence and Clinical Profile of Hirschsprung's Disease at a Tertiary Hospital in Bahrain

Background Hirschsprung's disease (HD) is a rare but important congenital pediatric disease of the colon, and its incidence varies widely between ethnic groups. Its incidence was first studied in Bahrain in 1980 using hospital-based data. Over a 16-month period, 10 cases were reported, representing a relatively high incidence rate: 1 per 4000 births. Even though the number of live births in Bahrain has increased dramatically over the last four decades (doubling from 10,000 to 20,000 per year), published studies about the incidence of HD are uncommon. In this research, we aimed to determine both the prevalence and the clinical characteristics of HD at a tertiary hospital in Bahrain. Methods This retrospective observational cross-sectional study included children diagnosed with HD at a tertiary hospital in Bahrain over the last seven years (2014-2020). Children over 10 years were excluded. Clinical data collected included gestational age, birth weight, gender, associated anomalies, clinical features at presentation, disease management, and complications. Results The prevalence of HD in Bahrain was found to be 1.3 per 10,000 live births, according to 18 patients qualified for inclusion in this study. The median age at diagnosis was 18 days; approximately 72% were males, and nearly 94% were Bahraini nationals. Three patients (16.7%) had associated anomalies including cardiac and urogenital malformations. Abdominal distention was the most common clinical presentation (83.3%) followed by constipation (77.8%). Half of the patients (50%) passed meconium within 48 hours of birth. Transanal full-thickness rectal biopsy was the method of diagnosis in most patients (83.3%). Seven patients (38.9%) were diagnosed comparatively late (beyond the neonatal period), at a mean age of 1-2 years. Significant associations between age at diagnosis and clinical presentation, initial management, or surgical intervention were not found. A total of 17 patients (94.4%) underwent the definitive surgery (transanal pull-through procedure). In this surgical group, initial colonic decompression was performed via rectal washout in six patients (35.3%) and via temporary stoma in three patients (17.8%). Laparotomy combined with the definitive surgery was necessary for six patients (35.3%). Most of the patients treated surgically had a short segment disease (70.5%). Conclusions The awareness of HD is highly important, especially with more than one-third of cases diagnosed outside the neonatal period and half of them passing meconium within 48 hours of birth. In addition, early detection of HD in the neonatal period would result in a less complicated course by reducing the number of patients requiring a multi-stage surgery and further laparotomies.

Hirschsprung's Disease-Recent Understanding of Embryonic Aspects, Etiopathogenesis and Future Treatment Avenues

Hirschsprung's disease is a neurocristopathy, caused by defective migration, proliferation, differentiation and survival of neural crest cells, leading to gut aganglionosis. It usually manifests rapidly after birth, affecting 1 in 5000 live births around the globe. In recent decades, there has been a significant improvement in the understanding of its genetics and the association with other congenital anomalies, which share the pathomechanism of improper development of the neural crest. Apart from that, several cell populations which do not originate from the neural crest, but contribute to the development of Hirschsprung's disease, have also been described, namely mast cells and interstitial cells of Cajal. From the diagnostic perspective, researchers also focused on "Variants of Hirschsprung's disease", which can mimic the clinical signs of the disease, but are in fact different entities, with distinct prognosis and treatment approaches. The treatment of Hirschsprung's disease is usually surgical resection of the aganglionic part of the intestine, however, as many as 30-50% of patients experience persisting symptoms. Considering this fact, this review article also outlines future hopes and perspectives in Hirschsprung's disease management, which has the potential to benefit from the advancements in the fields of cell-based therapy and tissue engineering.

Usefulness of Delayed Films of Contrast Enema for Detecting Hirschsprung's Disease

Background

Contrast enema (CE) in Hirschsprung’s disease (HD) provides a road map to surgeons by ascertaining the transition zone (TZ) and helps in pre-surgical planning. In our institute, we use CE as the initial investigation for HD and carry on till the whole colon is fully distended, followed by a 24-hour abdominal film which is also a part of the international protocol. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of this 24-hour delayed film in detecting HD, compare it with gold-standard biopsy results, and to evaluate other imaging features of contrast enema for diagnosis of HD in our tertiary-care hospital in Pakistan. 

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Radiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. Records of pediatric patients referred for radiological evaluation of symptoms and signs suspicious of HD during the years 2007-2017 were reviewed. A delayed film was labeled positive if the contrast was not completely evacuated when the residual contrast was present till transverse colon and not beyond. Specificity and sensitivity along with positive and negative predictive values were calculated for each finding according to rectal biopsy, taken as the gold standard.

Results

In all, 82 patients met the inclusion criteria out of 111 cases, as they had both biopsy results and delayed 24-hour films. HD was confirmed using rectal biopsy in 56 (43 patients were males and 13 were females) of 82 cases. The most sensitive radiological finding was the transition zone with a sensitivity of 91.07%. The rectosigmoid index was the second most common finding on contrast enema with a sensitivity and specificity of 91.07% and 83.93%, respectively. In all, 59% patients had a positive delayed 24-hour film and were confirmed with having HD on biopsy. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of delay in contrast evacuation after 24 hours in our study was 81.25%, 90.91%, and 97.50% respectively.

Conclusion

Contrast enema examinations along with the 24-hour delayed film with mid transverse colon cut-off are optimal for initially investigating HD in a developing nation, and our results show that it correlates well with biopsy. However, rectal biopsy still remains the gold standard for diagnosis. 

The role of mast cells in pediatric gastrointestinal disease

Mast cells are granulocytes derived from CD34+ pluripotent progenitor cells that demonstrate plasticity in their development, leaving the bone marrow and differentiating in the tissue where they ultimately reside. They are best known for their role in the allergic response, but also play a prominent immunoregulatory role in other processes, including immune tolerance, the innate immune response, angiogenesis, wound healing and tissue remodeling. Mast cells are found throughout the gastrointestinal tract; their metabolic products influence and regulate intestinal epithelial and endothelial function, gastrointestinal secretion, intestinal motility and absorption, and contribute to host defense. They also play an important role in the development of visceral hypersensitivity through bidirectional interaction with the enteric nervous system. Mast cells have been found to have an increasingly important role in the pathophysiology of a number of pediatric gastrointestinal diseases. This review summarizes the current understanding of the role that mast cells play in the development of pediatric gastrointestinal disorders, including eosinophilic esophagitis, functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, histologically negative appendicitis, Hirschsprung’s disease, intestinal neuronal dysplasia, and food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome.

Is hematoxylin-eosin staining in rectal mucosal and submucosal biopsies still useful for the diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease?

Background

Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of a full-thickness rectal wall fragment is classically used for the diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease (HD). However, this technique requires large fragments for a better diagnosis. Additionally, the histochemical and immunohistochemical methods of staining small fragments of rectal mucosal and submucosal biopsies are not available in all centers. Therefore, the possibility of diagnosing HD through HE staining in these biopsies could be a valuable alternative for centers that do not have more specific techniques. The objectives of the current investigation were to evaluate the concordance of the results obtained by HE staining and the calretinin method with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in fragments of mucosa and submucosa in the diagnosis of HD.

Methods

For this study, 50 cases from our laboratory were selected. The tissue material was embedded in paraffin. Sixty levels of each fragment were utilized for HE, and the other 3 levels were used for calretinin. These slides were analyzed under the microscope, photographed and classified as either positive for HD when no ganglion cells were found with nerve trunks present or as negative when ganglion cells were found. The results from reading the slides were compared with those of AChE.

Results

Of the 50 cases evaluated by the HE technique, only 5 contradicted the diagnosis based on AChE, with a Kappa value of 0.800 and an accuracy of 90%. In the comparison between calretinin and AChE, 8 cases were discordant, with a Kappa value of 0.676 and an accuracy of 84%.

Conclusions

The concordance of results from AChE and HE methods was satisfactory, allowing for the potential use of the HE method for fragments of mucosa and submucosa as a valid alternative in the diagnosis of HD. The immunohistochemical technique of calretinin did not show good agreement with the AChE activity in our study.

The utility of the hematoxylin and eosin staining in patients with suspected Hirschsprung disease

Background

While immunohistochemistry (IHC) methods have been widely conducted for the diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) in developed countries, there are very few studies on their use in developing countries where hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining is a key element of the diagnosis of HSCR. We aimed to determine the accuracy of HE staining in the diagnosis of HSCR using S100 IHC as the reference standard in Indonesia.

Methods

All histopathology performed for the suspicion of HSCR patients from January 2013 to August 2015 in Dr. Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

Our study included 23 HSCR patients: 9 males and 14 females. The HE staining revealed 14 negative (absence of ganglion cells) cases (61%) and 9 positive (presence of ganglion cells) cases (39%). In S100 IHC, out of the 9 positive cases by HE staining, 6 (67%) were confirmed for having ganglion cells; and out of the 14 negative cases by HE staining, 12 (86%) were reported negative and 2 (14%) were positive by S100 IHC staining. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy rates of the HE staining were 80% (95% CI: 0.51–0.95), 75% (95% CI: 0.36–0.96), 85.7% (95% CI: 0.56–0.98), 66.7% (95% CI: 0.31–0.91), and 78.3% (95% CI: 0.58–0.90), respectively.

Conclusions

Our study showed that HE staining has relatively moderate accuracy for the diagnosis of HSCR. The use of HE staining is still recommended for the diagnosis of HSCR given the limitation of resource allocation for more expensive IHC technologies in developing countries.

A systematic review of the quality of conduct and reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in paediatric surgery

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to evaluate quality of conduct and reporting of published systematic reviews and meta-analyses in paediatric surgery. We also aimed to identify characteristics predictive of review quality.

BACKGROUND

Systematic reviews summarise evidence by combining sources, but are potentially prone to bias. To counter this, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was published to aid in reporting. Similarly, the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) measurement tool was designed to appraise methodology. The paediatric surgical literature has seen an increasing number of reviews over the past decade, but quality has not been evaluated.

METHODS

Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, we performed a systematic review with a priori design to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses of interventions in paediatric surgery. From 01/2010 to 06/2016, we searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, Web of Science, Google Scholar, reference lists and journals. Two reviewers independently selected studies and extracted data. We assessed conduct and reporting using AMSTAR and PRISMA. Scores were calculated as the sum of reported items. We also extracted author, journal and article characteristics, and used them in exploratory analysis to determine which variables predict quality.

RESULTS

112 articles fulfilled eligibility criteria (53 systematic reviews; 59 meta-analyses). Overall, 68% AMSTAR and 56.8% PRISMA items were reported adequately. Poorest scores were identified with regards a priori design, inclusion of structured summaries, including the grey literature, citing excluded articles and evaluating bias. 13 reviews were pre-registered and 6 in PRISMA-endorsing journals. The following predicted quality in univariate analysis:, word count, Cochrane review, journal h-index, impact factor, journal endorses PRISMA, PRISMA adherence suggested in author guidance, article mentions PRISMA, review includes comparison of interventions and review registration. The latter three variables were significant in multivariate regression.

CONCLUSIONS

There are gaps in the conduct and reporting of systematic reviews in paediatric surgery. More endorsement by journals of the PRISMA guideline may improve review quality, and the dissemination of reliable evidence to paediatric clinicians.

Duhamel versus transanal endorectal pull through (TERPT) for the surgical treatment of Hirschsprung's disease

For the surgical treatment of Hirschsprung's disease, several surgical techniques are used to resect the distal aganglionic colon. Two frequently used techniques are the Duhamel procedure and the transanal endorectal pull-through procedure. During the '8th Pediatric Colorectal Course' in Nijmegen, November 2015, a workshop was organized to share experiences of both techniques by several experts in the field and to discuss (long term) outcomes. Specifically, the objective of the meeting was to discuss the main controversies in relation to the technical execution of both procedures in order to make an initial assessment of the limitations of available evidence for clinical decision-making and to formulate a set of preliminary recommendations for current clinical care and future research.

A case of adult megacolon with special clinical manifestations

Adult megacolon is a low-incidence, complicated disease. Depending on etiological factors, adult megacolon can be divided into three categories: Hirschsprung's disease, adult idiopathic megacolon, and adult Hisrchsprung's disease allied disease. Although each has its unique clinical characteristics, they are easily misdiagnosed because they have similar symptoms and signs. This paper reports a case of adult megacolon with special clinical features and explores its etiology, diagnosis and treatment.