Baby born without anal opening successfully treated

Bengaluru: In an incident, a baby born outside hospital was noted to have an absent anal opening and was referred to Rainbow Bannerghatta Road for further treatment. The Pediatric Urologist, Rainbow Children's Hospital, Dr Mukunda Ramachandra said, "Upon examination after six hours of birth, there was an absent anal opening with thin midline raphe extending up to mid part of scrotum. Hence, the baby was given supportive care. After 24 hours, we noticed meconium ( the early stool passed by a newborn soon after birth, before the baby starts to feed and digest milk or formula) extending up to the scrotum in Midline. The baby boy was taken for surgery, fistulous connection was dissected from scrotum and the track dissection was continued up to the rectum."

"The anterior wall of Rectum was separated from the urethra. Rectum was further mobilised and the fistula was excised. Anoplasty was done in the limits of the Sphincter complex. The baby was shifted to the NICU, and supportive care was given after the surgery. Feeds were started on post-operative day five and discharged on day seven of hospitalisation. If the baby born with an absent anal opening is found, such babies need proper evaluation to determine type of Ano-rectal malformation (ARM)," he said.

He added, If it is Low ARM, a single stage surgery can be performed. In case of a High ARM, it would require Staged repair. In a baby boy born with absent anal opening, we have to wait 18-24 hours to diagnose the difference between Low ARM and High ARM before taking the baby for surgery.