Ultrasound of the distal pouch in infants with imperforate anus

Optimal surgical management of the newborn with imperforate anus depends on accurate determination of the level of the rectal pouch. Eighteen children with imperforate anus were evaluated with ultrasound. The distance from the end of the pouch to the perineum was measured. Ultrasound correctly predicted the level of the distal pouch in all 12 children who had confirmation of the pouch level by surgery or by distal contrast stomagrams. Six children have not yet had definitive surgery. Five children with a pouch to perineum (P-P) distance of less than or equal to 10 mm and three of six children with a P-P distance of 10 to 15 mm had successful correction by a simple perineal anoplasty. Three of six children with a P-P distance of 10 to 15 mm and all of those (seven) with a P-P distance greater than 15 mm were diverted with colostomies.