Rectal Biopsy for Hirschsprung's Disease – Are We Performing too Many?

Abstract

With 3 complications and 18 insufficient samples out of 668, rectal biopsy is a safe procedure and remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease, despite the large number of negative biopsies. Contrary to some reports in the literature which question the need for rectal biopsy in those presenting after the neonatal period, 53% of our positive diagnoses were made in children presenting after this period, with 19 positive biopsies out of 395 (5%) performed in children above the age of 1 year.