[Improved continence after Pena operations in anorectal abnormalities]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric surgery
• Colorectal surgery
• Functional outcomes

Background:

• Anal and rectum atresia presents significant surgical challenges.
• Various pull-through procedures exist for treatment, with varying functional outcomes.
• The Pena procedure is noted for superior results in high and intermediate forms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term functional outcomes of the Pena procedure for anal and rectum atresia.
• To assess the maturation process of the continence organ using advanced manometry techniques.
• To compare outcomes between patients treated with the Pena procedure and matched controls.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patients undergoing the Pena procedure for anal and rectum atresia.
• Follow-up assessment using three-dimensional vector volume manometry.
• Comparison with matched control groups.

Main Results:

• The Pena procedure demonstrated better functional outcomes compared to other pull-through procedures.
• Significant improvement in the radial asymmetry index was observed over time in patients treated with the Pena procedure.
• These improvements indicate a maturation process of the continence organ.

Conclusions:

• The Pena procedure is an effective surgical option for high and intermediate forms of anal and rectum atresia.
• Long-term follow-up with 3D vector volume manometry reveals significant maturation of the continence organ.
• This maturation process is critical for achieving functional continence.