Pediatr. praxi. 2022;23(1):52-56 | DOI: 10.36290/ped.2022.010

Anus ventralis - unusual case of obstipation?

MUDr. Barbora Sedláčková¹, MUDr. Jakub Pecl MBA^{1, 2}, MUDr. Jan Šenkyřík^{2, 3}, MUDr. Jan Škvařil Ph.D.^{2, 4}, prof. MUDr. Zdeněk Doležel CSc.^{1, 2}, MUDr. Petr Jabandžiev Ph.D.^{1, 2, 5}

¹ Pediatrická klinika, Fakultní nemocnice Brno

² Lékařská fakulta, Masarykova univerzita, Brno

³ Klinika dětské radiologie, Fakultní nemocnice Brno

⁴ Klinika dětské chirurgie, ortopedie a traumatologie, Fakultní nemocnice Brno

⁵ Středoevropský technologický institut - CEITEC, Brno

We describe the case of a 17year old girl who was repeatedly examined for chronic abdominal pain. Her symptoms met the Rome IV. criteria for functional obstipation and therefore she was recommended the use of osmotic laxatives, régime measures and physiotherapy. However, this therapy brought insufficient effect. For ongoing symptomatology, further diagnostic steps were performed including proctological examination by which anus ventralis was diagnosed. This anorectal malformation represents a condition in which the anal orifice of a normal appearance is shifted in the ventral direction. Clinical symptoms depend on the level of the anal orifice shift. The usual manifestation of this anomaly is the onset of obstipation soon after birth, but if only slight shift is present, chronic problems may develop over time. Surgical reconstruction brought permanent improvement of the symptoms. The aim of this case report is to raise awareness of this less common, but not rare, organic cause of chronic obstipation and to describe its therapeutic and diagnostic modalities.

Keywords: anus ventralis, rectoperineal fistula, obstipation, abdominal pain, paediatrics.

Published: February 23, 2022  Show citation