Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Scanning Dos and Don'ts: Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Awake Children Aged 3 to 5 Years to Assess Brain Structure and Function
Published on: March 10, 2026
[There is something coming out of the anus of my child]
Rosalie J L Kuiper1, Justin R de Jong, C M Frank Kneepkens
1VU Medisch Centrum, Amsterdam, afd. Kindergeneeskunde, The Netherlands.
Insights
Diagnosing anal protrusions in children can be challenging. Parental photos aided in identifying rectal prolapse, polyps, and hemorrhoids, leading to targeted treatments for these pediatric anal conditions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Colorectal Surgery
Background:
- Diagnosing anal protrusions in children presents challenges due to intermittent presentation.
- Symptoms often manifest post-defecation, making them difficult to observe during clinical consultations.
Observation:
- Three pediatric cases are presented: rectal prolapse, anal polyp, and external hemorrhoids.
- The key diagnostic aid was photographic evidence provided by parents.
- Patient ages ranged from 3 to 4 years old.
Findings:
- Rectal prolapse resolved with laxative therapy.
- An anal polyp was successfully treated with polypectomy.
- External hemorrhoids showed persistence despite conservative management including laxatives and physiotherapy.
Implications:
- Parental photography is a valuable tool for diagnosing pediatric anal protrusions.
- Tailored treatment approaches are crucial for different anal conditions in children.
- Further research may explore optimal management strategies for persistent pediatric hemorrhoids.
Abstract:
The diagnosis of anal protrusions in children may be difficult, because the protrusion often occurs only after defaecation, and is usually invisible during the consultation. We present three cases of children with rectal prolapse (4-year-old boy), polyp (4-year-old boy), and external haemorrhoids (3-year-old boy), respectively. In each case, the diagnosis could be made after parents had sent a picture of the phenomenon. The first patient recovered after laxative therapy, the second after polypectomy, and in the third patient, the haemorrhoid persisted, despite laxative therapy and physiotherapy.
More Related Videos
07:41Quantification of Levator Ani Hiatus Enlargement by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Males and Females with Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Published on: April 17, 2019
10:30The C. elegans Excretory Canal as a Model for Intracellular Lumen Morphogenesis and In Vivo Polarized Membrane Biogenesis in a Single Cell: labeling by GFP-fusions, RNAi Interaction Screen and Imaging
Published on: October 3, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Assessment of the Rectum and Anus
Rectal Inspection
Begin by inspecting the perianal and anal areas for color, texture, rashes,...
Feces Formation and Defecation
The mass peristalsis then pushes the feces into the rectum, which stretches the rectal walls to activate...
Large Intestine
The ileocecal sphincter, a mucous membrane fold, guards the opening from the ileum to the large intestine. This valve permits material from the small intestine to pass into the large intestine. Attached to the ileocecal valve is the cecum. This small pouch, approximately 6 cm long, has a twisted, coiled tube known as...
Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Anal
The Micturition Reflex
The process begins with bladder filling, where the bladder wall stretches as urine accumulates. This stretching activates the urine storage reflex, mediated by the sacral spinal segments and the pontine storage center. Efferent sympathetic impulses stimulate the detrusor muscle to relax and the internal urethral sphincter to contract, facilitating urine...
Muscles of the Pelvic Floor and Perineum
Perineal Layer
The perineum is a diamond-shaped area below the pelvic diaphragm, divided into an anterior urogenital triangle that contains the external genitals and a posterior anal triangle housing the anus. The urogenital...