Our physicians have specialized expertise in treatment of:
Anorectal malformation, also known as imperforate anus, is a condition where children are born with an abnormal anal opening. This condition affects 1 in 2,500 children. The causes of this condition are not known for sure, but are likely due to a problems with prenatal development of the digestive tract.
A cloacal malformation, or cloaca, is a rare condition that occurs in 1 in 25,000 girls. It is a severe form of anorectal malformation in which the rectum, vaginal, and urinary tract do not separate but merge into one channel, called a cloaca. The defect occurs during fetal development when the rectum, vaginal and urinary tracts fail to separate.
Cloacal exstrophy is a very rare condition in which a child is born with their internal abdominal organs — the large intestine and bladder — outside of the body and the bladder is separated into two halves. In boys, the penis is usually flat and short and is sometimes split in two. In girls, the clitoris is separated into two halves. Children born with cloacal exstrophy may also have imperforate anus, spinal defects such as spina bifida, and/or other organs exposed including the liver, spleen, colon and rectum (omphalocele).
Hirschsprung disease is a condition children are born with that stops or slows the movement of food and waste through the intestine. It affects about 1 in 5,000 children. It is caused by a problem with the nerve cells in the rectum or colon (the lower part of the intestine). Normally these nerves help the muscles in the wall of the bowel squeeze and relax, pushing food and waste along the way. When these nerves are missing, the bowel cannot push the digested food through, and children cannot have normal bowel movements or have fewer bowel movements than normal.
