Laparoscopic-Assisted Anorectal Pull-Through for Anorectal Malformations

Anorectal malformation is a well-documented spectrum of disorders that has been reported in 1/4000–1/5000 births. The exact etiology is not well understood, and it has been linked to some genetic and familial dissociations. This wide spectrum of congenital disorders ranges from imperforate anus with or without fistulas to the urethra, bladder, or perineum to complex anogenital malformations involving the entire ano-genito-urinary tract. The open posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP) is the current standard for surgical management of anorectal malformations. Introduction of laparoscopy allowed better visualization of the depth of the infant’s pelvis and safe dissection of high types of anorectal malformations and led to the development of a minimally invasive laparoscopic approach for high imperforate anus, introduced in 2000 by Georgeson et al.