[The Surgical Management of Faecal Incontinence in Childhood (author's transl)].

A series of 13 cases is reported in which gracilis muscle transplantation according to Pickrell was carried out. In half of the cases a modification using bilateral gracilis muscle transplants was performed. 10 children were followed up; 8 of them showed an improvement in faecal continence. Preserved contractility of the transplanted gracilis muscle seemed to be responsible for this improvement. Since maturation of anorectal structures after surgical correction of high anorectal atresias and late development of anorectal mechanisms seems possible and might to be assisted by transplantation, early surgery -- about the fourth year of life -- is recommended.