Short-Term Complications Between Duhamel and Soave Procedures in Hirschsprung Patients: A Systematic Review

Hirschsprung's disease, or congenital megacolon, is a birth defect where ganglions are absent in the gut wall, leading to constipation and intestinal obstruction. It affects 1 in 500 births worldwide and, if untreated or treated late, significantly impacts children's growth and quality of life. Understanding the short-term complications of the Soave and Duhamel methods in Hirschsprung disease patients. A systematic review was conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. In our initial PubMed search and hand-searching, we identified 36 articles. After screening titles and abstracts, four were relevant for discussion. We included three articles in our systematic review after reading the full texts. Enterocolitis was more frequent with the Duhamel procedure (28%) compared to the Soave procedure (10%). The risk of Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis (HAEC) increased in patients with a history of enterocolitis in both treatment groups. Two studies indicate that short-term complications such as constipation and bloating occur more frequently after the Soave procedure than the Duhamel procedure. Based on the three studies we discussed, HAEC was more frequent in the Duhamel procedure than in the Soave procedure, with significant differences. Constipation was more common in the Soave procedure. Both procedures may cause complications such as voluntary bowel movement, soiling, and fecal incontinence, with no statistically significant differences. Minor complications in the Soave procedure include poor weight gain and strong-smelling flatulence. In the Duhamel procedure, minor complications include hardened stools and poor appetite.