An Unsuspected Case of Hirschsprung Disease in an Adolescent: A Case Report.
Tags : Adolescent PresentationCase ReportChronic ConstipationClinical CaseColorectal SurgeryCongenital Gastrointestinal DisordersDiagnostic ChallengesHirschsprung DiseaseLate DiagnosisOriginal ResearchPediatric SurgeryRare PresentationSurgical ManagementThe Operating Room GlobalThe Operating Room Global JournalTORGJVolume 2 Issue 1 2026
Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2512007
Authors: Yirgalem Teklebirhan Gebreziher1,4*, Feven Mekonen Tadesse1, Hadush Tesfay Negash1, Berihu Tadishu Gebre2, Seare Halefom Kahsay1, Ruta Mehari Tafere3
| 1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Mekelle University, Ethiopia. 2Department of Radiology, Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Mekelle University, Ethiopia. 3Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Aksum University, Tigray, Ethiopia. 4The Operating Room Global (TORG). |
Cite:
- APA (7th edition): Gebreziher, Y. T., Tadesse, F. M., Negash, H. T., Gebre, B. T., Kahsay, S. H., & Tafere, R. M. (2026, January 14). An unsuspected case of Hirschsprung disease in an adolescent: A case report. The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ), 2(1). https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2512007
- Harvard: Gebreziher, Y.T., Tadesse, F.M., Negash, H.T., Gebre, B.T., Kahsay, S.H. and Tafere, R.M., 2026. An unsuspected case of Hirschsprung disease in an adolescent: A case report. The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ), 2(1). Published 14 January. Available at: https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2512007
- Vancouver: Gebreziher YT, Tadesse FM, Negash HT, Gebre BT, Kahsay SH, Tafere RM. An unsuspected case of Hirschsprung disease in an adolescent: A case report. The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ). 2026 Jan 14;2(1). https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2512007
- MLA (9th edition): Gebreziher, Yirgalem Teklebirhan, et al. “An Unsuspected Case of Hirschsprung Disease in an Adolescent: A Case Report.” The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ), vol. 2, no. 1, 14 Jan. 2026, https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2512007
- Chicago (Author-Date): Gebreziher, Yirgalem Teklebirhan, Feven Mekonen Tadesse, Hadush Tesfay Negash, Berihu Tadishu Gebre, Seare Halefom Kahsay, and Ruta Mehari Tafere. 2026. “An Unsuspected Case of Hirschsprung Disease in an Adolescent: A Case Report.” The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ) 2 (1), January 14. https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2512007
*Corresponding Author:
Yirgalem Teklebirhan Gebreziher
[email protected]
Declaration:
Authors’ Contribution:
Equal contributions.
Conflict of Interest:
No conflict of interest.
Funding:
No funding received by the authors.
| Article History: |
| Received: 28-12-2025 Accepted: 11-01-2026 |
| Available Online: 14-01-2026 |
| QR Code Access to this Article |
| ABSTRACT |
| Introduction: Hirschsprung’s disease, a congenital disorder, is characterized by the absence of ganglion cells in the Meissner’s plexus of the submucosa and Auerbach’s plexus of the muscularis. Notably, late presentation is uncommon, with 95% of cases being diagnosed in infants younger than one year of age. Case presentation: 15-year-old Black female patient presented to our hospital with the compliant of failure to pass feces of 5 days duration associated with abdominal distention. From an early age, she experienced persistent constipation and abdominal distention, leading to multiple admissions to local health centers for enema treatment. Oral laxatives were also prescribed, but they only provided temporary relief of her symptoms. Clinical findings and investigations: Abdominal x-ray showed significantly dilated bowel loops with fecal loading. Barium enema showed a transition zone at the proximal one-third of the rectum with reversed rectosigmoid ratio. Intervention and outcome: Rectal biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. Decompressive colostomy was done followed by soave pull through three months later. The patient is doing well during postoperative follow-up. Conclusion: Adolescent patients with a history of childhood-onset constipation should be evaluated for the possibility of undiagnosed Hirschsprung’s disease. Treating this condition can significantly enhance the patient’s quality of life. Keywords: Adult; Case report; Congenital; Constipation. |
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