Rectal atresia: pathogenesis and operative treatment

Rectal atresia (RA) with a normal anus is a rare anomaly mostly described as part of a series of anorectal malformations. Most authors believe it to be an acquired lesion with a vascular genesis. One of the arguments quoted is the lack of other congenital anomalies. Several operative procedures are recommended for this lesion. We describe four patients with RA who had other significant congenital anomalies; two other cases were found in the literature. A lack of other congenital anomalies in patients with RA does not seem to be a strong argument for an acquired lesion. All four patients were treated by a posterior sagittal approach with good functional results.