anal stenosis association w/ umbilical hernia?

[Diabolicafemmia]

I have a question which may seem rather odd... I posted the question earlier about my daughter having an ovarian cyst, and since it is now at 6cm, it is being treated w/ surgery on 22 Sept. This is a new problem. The doctor wanted to do an internal exam of the cyst when we went in for her pre op appt. He attempted to insert the tip of his pinky finger into her anus and could not get it in at all. He then Dx her with a anal stenosis and gave us a set of "anal dialators" to use BID at home (but only up to the 8mm size, as she was VERY restricted, and not ready to work toward the 10mm as of yet). Since we have been doing the dialation, she still strains to pass bowel, and her belly button has extended to the size of a walnut. Two questions. will he still be able to place the port for the cyst excision? is this caused by her straining so hard to pass bowel? is surgery ever used to correct stenosis? (I would rather avoid it if at all possible, but I do want what is best for my baby...) Thank you.

[Thane A Blinman, MD, FAAP]

The umbilical hernia should NOT present any difficulty to the surgeon for the cyst excision...and he will probably repair the umbilicus at the end of the case.  

The UH might be caused by pushing, or it could be bad luck:  every human has at the potential for a hernia there.

The real question is why there is a stenosis.  The first question is:  Is it actually stenosis (a congenital malformation)?  Or is it another disease such as Hirschprung's, or even eosinophilic proctitis.  The first is an error of nerve development in the bowel (this does need surgery), and the second is often an allergy or similar immune intolerance (like to milk....and this rarely needs surgery).

I hope this helps.

You may want to ask your doctor if a biopsy would be helpful.  Usually, this can be done in the office (or they could do it during the upcoming procedure).
  

[Diabolicafemmia]

I have to say...this information you have provided here has REALLY helped me become an advocate for my daughter. Long story short, a final Dx of Hirschprungs is greatly suspected. I dont understand why it wasnt caught earlier, and I feel several things were overlooked, just from the info I read, started fro mthe fact she didnt have her first bowel movement until about 3 day after she was born. She has TEAMS of people checking her on a regular basis and knew there was a problem with her anus at some point, why 2 + 2 didnt = 4 I guess will remain a mystery. Anyway, hear is my question. Since the army has moved us overseas I am now forced to seek treatment in a German hospital. They way they explained protocol to me is (1) she will firsy have a dye cast xray to confirm how far the bowel is damaged. (2) they will scdl a Bx to confirm the abscense of ganglion cells in the tissue (3) schdl OR time, and the sooner we do all this, the better because tissue is being damaged and it doesnt repair.
they are saying 2-3 weeks hospital time?
1 year full recovery?