LONG-TERM CONTINENCE AFTER SURGERY FOR ANORECTAL-MALFORMATIONS

Out of a total of 1030 infants treated for anorectal malformations, 403 were diagnosed as having high and intermediate types of anomaly: 190 completed all stages of reconstruction; of these for 139 it had been 5 years to more than 15 years since reconstruction. They were recalled fro follow-up examinations. Faecal continence was assessed in 84 of these children who came for review. Assessment was by clinical examination and manometry. Sixteen children had abdominoperineal reconstruction and 25 sacroabdominoperineal and 43 sacroperineal reconstruction. Sacroperineal reconstruction resulted in good fecal continence. The results after sacroabdominoperineal operation were slightly poorer. There was a direct correlation between manometric assessment and clinical assessment. Furthermore, manometry allowed a prognosis to be established and the need for reoperation to be determined.