Conventional and emerging technologies for combating Hirschsprung's disease: The scope of electroanalytical sensing modalities

Abstract

Congenital absence of ganglion cells (aganglionic) in distal colon is known as Hirschsprung Disease or congenital megacolon, which when left undiagnosed and untreated, leads to a cascade of gastro-intestinal infections with ghastly outcomes. The pathological or aganglionic segment of the intestine is often surgically excised to treat the patient in order to mitigate the life-threatening complications of the disease to some extent. However, this involves meticulous and tedious mapping as well as identification of the pathological colon, failing which the paediatric patient may land up in excision of excess or retention of the anomalous colon segment resulting in co-morbid situations. Therefore, there exists a pressing demand for the development of rapid and efficient technologies which can reduce the burden on paediatric surgeons in identifying the pathological colon. Considering the absence of such next-generation technologies in the market, the current review briefly highlights the conventional methodologies for managing Hirschsprung's disease as well as the pivotal role futuristic nanotechnology-enabled electroanalytical biosensing strategies can play towards the early detection of this potentially deadly complication, for enhanced patient outcomes.