Surgically correctable fecal incontinence.

A significant percentage of children who are fecally incontinent are so from improper operation or failure to recognize a surgically correctable problem. Over the past five years, we have managed ten children who had operations for anorectal problems and two with anterior anus. Seven were seen after poorly positioned pull-through procedures for imperforate anus and had anal repositioning, four successfully. Gracilis sling was successful in two of the other three. In two children overflow after a Duhamel operation for Hirschsprung's disease was corrected by division of a persistent anorectal septum. The third child with a disrupted Duhamel procedure was cured by anolevatorplasty. In two children an anterior ectopic anus was made continent by posterior anoplasty. Primary and secondary deviations from proper anatomy of the anorectal region will result in incontinence, which may be recognized by physical examination and defecograms. Proper operation usually produces acceptable continence.