Colonic web in infants and toddlers: a cause of chronic bowel obstruction.

Colonic web, a rare subtype of colonic atresia, typically presents in the neonatal period. However, delayed presentation, as seen in our cases, poses significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. We report two cases-an infant and a toddler-who presented with chronic constipation, abdominal distension and failure to thrive. Both patients were stabilised and underwent exploratory laparotomy, which confirmed the diagnosis of colonic web. A surgery involving web excision and diversion colostomy was performed successfully. Postoperative recovery was uneventful, and both patients demonstrated significant improvement during follow-up. These cases highlight the importance of maintaining a broad differential diagnosis in older infants and toddlers with obstructive bowel symptoms, the utility of imaging and intraoperative findings for diagnosis and the need for careful follow-up to rule out coexisting conditions like Hirschsprung Disease.