[Duhamel operation for Hirschsprung disease (author's transl)].

Thirty six patients with Hirschsprung's disease were treated with a Duhamel pull-through procedure. Of the patients 32 were boys, 31 were diagnosed in the first three months of life, 30 had aganglionosis restricted to the rectum and to the sigmoid colon. The absence of mortality and the low complication rate confirmed that the Duhamel operation is a benign procedure. Highly satisfactory clinical and radiological results were observed during the follow-up period. Some patients presented a clear pressure fall of anal tonus with inflation of the pelvic digestive tract balloon. The sensing capabilities and the efficacy of this reflex were not so high than in normals controls. The relationship between the existence of this reflex and the clinical story of the patients might be interesting to follow-up in the future.