Surgical management strategy of alimentary tract duplication involving the rectum in children

Alimentary tract duplication involving the rectum (ATD-R) is rare. The purpose of the study was to describe the features of pediatric ATD-R patients and propose a surgical management strategy.

Nine consecutive children operated on for ATD-R at a tertiary center for pediatrics from January 2010 to June 2021 were retrospectively reviewed and followed up. Eighty-six children with the same diagnosis from the literature were reviewed to assist the investigation. Classifications of ATD-R consisted of cystic, tubular, and diverticular.

Surgical treatment and histopathological examination identified six females and three males with ATD-R. Initial clinical symptoms included perianal lesions, abnormal discharge, and anorectal malformation (ARM). Apart from one tubular ATD-R patient with cloaca malformation, the other eight patients had normal-developed anorectum. Complete or partial lesion resection maintaining the integrity of the proper colorectum was a principle of surgery. Six patients were followed up for a median time of 71 (range 12-121) months with good prognoses. A surgical management strategy of ATD-R in children was proposed.

ATD-R commonly occurred concurrently with normal-developed anorectum, seldom combined with ARM. ATD-R should be considered as a differential diagnosis in anorectal symptoms. The timely and appropriate operation was curative.