Introduction: Many management options exist for the treatment of refractory rectal prolapse (RP) in children. Our goal was to characterize current practice patterns among active members of APSA.
Methods: A 23-item questionnaire assessed the management of full-thickness RP for healthy children who have failed medical management. The survey was approved by our IRB and by the APSA Outcomes committee.
Results: 236 surgeons participated. The respondents were geographically dispersed (44 states, 5 provinces). 32% of respondents had twenty or more years of clinical experience. 71% evaluated 1-5 RP patients in the last 2 years, while 5% evaluated >10. 71% performed 0-1 procedure (operation or local therapy [LT]) for RP over 2 years. 59% would treat a 2-year-old patient differently than a 6-year-old with the same presentation, and were more likely to offer up-front surgery to a 6-year-old (26% vs 15%, p = 0.04), less likely to continue medical management indefinitely (2% vs 7%, p=0.01), and more likely to perform resection with rectopexy (30% vs. 15%, p=0.01). 71% perform LT as an initial intervention: injection sclerotherapy (59%), anal encirclement (8%), and sclerotherapy + anal encirclement (5%). 70% consider LT a failure after 1-3 attempts. If LT fails, surgical management consists of transabdominal rectopexy (46%), perineal proctectomy or proctosigmoidectomy (22%), transabdominal sigmoidectomy + rectopexy (22%), and posterior sagittal rectopexy (9%).
Conclusions: There is wide variability in the surgical management of pediatric rectal prolapse. This suggests a need for development of processes to identify best practices and optimize outcomes for this condition.
Keywords: Constipation; Pediatric colorectal surgery; Pediatric rectal prolapse; Rectal prolapse; Rectopexy; Sclerotherapy.
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