Anorectal malformations in female children--10 years experience

Despite enormous interest in the development of an ideal operative procedure to treat anorectal malformations, the situation is as confusing as it was 30 years ago. The reasons could be inconsistency of the nature of the lesions found in patients along with multi-system associated malformations primarily affecting the prognosis of available procedures. High imperforate anus is a complex anomaly that requires a combination of careful preservation of structures and precise anatomic reconstruction for optimal results. A retrospective study, comprising a consecutive sample of female children with anorectal malformations treated over a period of 10 years, is presented. Of 130 patients, 83% (n = 108) presented later than 3 months of age as they could pass stools through associated fistulae, of which the commonest type was found to be an ano- or recto-vestibular fistula (65%, n = 83). Ninety-four cases (72%) had what are traditionally known as "low" anorectal malformations (perineal fistulae, anteriorly placed anus and anorecto-vestibular fistulae). Ten percent (n = 14) had translevator, and 17% (n = 22) were found to have "high" lesions. Seventeen percent of patients (n = 22) had associated congenital malformations, predominantly in intermediate and high anorectal lesions, 40% of which pertained to the urogenital system. In total, 137 definitive operative procedures were done including Mollard's anterior perineal approach in 81 patients and posterior sagittal anorecto plasty (PSARP) in 38, enabling a comparison to be made of the functional results and complications in the two groups. Out of 24 post-operative complications noted in the series, 17 were found in the group who had Mollard's procedure carried out (including 3 deaths) as compared with 7 in these cases who had PSARP (two-sided P utilizing Fisher's exact test = 0.475).