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Fetal & Pediatric Surgery (Expert Forum)
Anorectal Malformation
Answered by
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Questions in this forum are answered by pediatric and fetal surgeons from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. This forum is for questions and support about issues such as abdominal and thoracic surgery, minimally invasive surgery, oncologic surgery, trauma surgery, fetal surgery and surgery to treat congenital disorders and malformations.
Anorectal Malformation
by Jack615, Jun 04, 2009 12:53PM
My niece was just born yesterday with something called "anorectal malformation" and the doctor said it is due to a lack of anal connection. The doctor told my sister that surgery is the ONLY option and I'm trying to help my sister find out if there are any other options that would not require surgery. Can you tell me what this is and whether there are other treatments for it?
Thanks
Jack
Thanks
Jack
Doctor's Answer
by Thane A Blinman, MD, FAAP, Jun 05, 2009 07:55AM
, Jun 05, 2009 07:55AM
"Anorectal malformation" is a bit vague. This can mean anything from an abnormally narrow anal canal to a complete lack of anus and the associated musculature. Most malformations are somewhere in between: the rectum did not quite make it to the anal canal during development, and instead is connected to the vagina, or bladder, etc.
If the anus is merely narrow, or merely slightly displaced (meaning that the rectum didn't quite "hit the target" and emerge in exactly within the sphinchter muscles) there are non-surgical options.
But these circumstances are rare. Most problems do require surgery. And there ARE minimally invasive options.
If the anus is merely narrow, or merely slightly displaced (meaning that the rectum didn't quite "hit the target" and emerge in exactly within the sphinchter muscles) there are non-surgical options.
But these circumstances are rare. Most problems do require surgery. And there ARE minimally invasive options.
Susan Kramer
Mother of a healthy ten year old with anal rectal malformation as well as several other diagnoses that the extremely good surgeons knew to look for ten years ago.