Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Jul 28;39(1):242.
doi: 10.1007/s00383-023-05518-7.

Rectal atresia and rectal stenosis: the ARM-Net Consortium experience

Cunera M C de Beaufort  1   2   3 , Ramon R Gorter  4   5   6 , Barbara D Iacobelli  7 , Paola Midrio  8 , Cornelius E J Sloots  9 , Inbal Samuk  10 , Iris A L M van Rooij  11 , Gabriele Lisi  12 ; ARM-Net Consortium
Collaborators, Affiliations

Rectal atresia and rectal stenosis: the ARM-Net Consortium experience

Cunera M C de Beaufort et al. Pediatr Surg Int. .

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the number, characteristics, and functional short-, and midterm outcomes of patients with rectal atresia (RA) and stenosis (RS) in the ARM-Net registry.

Methods: Patients with RA/RS were retrieved from the ARM-Net registry. Patient characteristics, associated anomalies, surgical approach, and functional bowel outcomes at 1 and 5-year follow-up were assessed.

Results: The ARM-Net registry included 2619 patients, of whom 36 (1.3%) had RA/RS. Median age at follow-up was 7.0 years (IQR 2.3-9.0). Twenty-three patients (63.9%, RA n = 13, RS n = 10) had additional anomalies. PSARP was the most performed reconstructive surgery for both RA (n = 9) and RS (n = 6) patients. At 1-year follow-up, 11/24 patients with known data (45.8%, RA n = 5, RS n = 6) were constipated, of whom 9 required stool softeners and/or laxatives. At 5-year follow-up, 8/9 patients with known data (88.9%, RA n = 4, RS n = 4) were constipated, all requiring laxatives and/or enema.

Conclusion: RA and RS are rare types of ARM, representing 1.3% of patients in the ARM-Net registry. Additional anomalies were present in majority of patients. Different surgical approaches were performed as reconstructive treatment, with constipation occurring in 46% and 89% of the patients at 1 and 5-year follow-up. However, accurate evaluation of long-term functional outcomes remains challenging.

Keywords: ARM-Net Consortium; Anorectal malformations; Constipation; Rectal atresia; Rectal stenosis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors have any conflicts-of-interest to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart on the availability for 1- and 5-year follow-up data on functional outcomes. RA rectal atresia, including subtypes II to VI. RS rectal stenosis. n number
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Levitt MA, Peña A. Anorectal malformations. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2007;2:33. doi: 10.1186/1750-1172-2-33. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. van der Steeg HJ, Schmiedeke E, Bagolan P, Broens P, Demirogullari B, Garcia-Vazquez A, et al. European consensus meeting of ARM-Net members concerning diagnosis and early management of newborns with anorectal malformations. Tech Coloproctol. 2015;19(3):181–185. doi: 10.1007/s10151-015-1267-8. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Gupta DK, Sharma S (2006) Rectal atresia and rectal ectesia. In: Holschneider AM, Hutson JM (eds) Anorectal malformations in children, 1st edn. Springer, 223–230
    1. Sharma S, Gupta DK. Varied facets of rectal atresia and rectal stenosis. Pediatr Surg Int. 2017;33(8):829–836. doi: 10.1007/s00383-017-4106-3. - DOI - PubMed
    1. de Beaufort CM, van den Akker AC, Kuijper CF, Broers CJ, de Jong JR, de Beer SA, et al. The importance of screening for additional anomalies in patients with anorectal malformations: a retrospective cohort study. J Pediatr Surg. 2022 doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2022.11.010. - DOI - PubMed