[Anorectal malformations: their diagnosis and the initial decisions]

The author presents the salient aspects of anorectal malformation which allow us to simplify their anatomical diagnosis. In many cases only clinical means are used while in others adequate use of technical studies are necessary. This enables us to reach therapeutic decisions in the simplest and most orderly fashion so that patients with these anomalies may be given the opportunity of attaining normal or near normal function.