Background: Laparoscopic-assisted endorectal pull-through (LAEPT) procedure in the management of high-type anorectal malformations (ARMs) was first introduced in 1998 and is quickly accepted worldwide. However, evidence on long-term outcomes of this technique is constrained. This study aims to evaluate the long-term outcomes of LAEPT for high-type ARMs in Vietnamese pediatrics. Materials and Methods: A longitudinal study was carried out from January 2009 to July 2014 in 56 patients <3 years old. Variables included age of operation, associated anomalies, type of fistula, the duration of hospital stay, complications, and long-term functional outcomes (Krickenbeck modified standards were used for children ≥3 years). Results: There were 56 patients including 48 males and 8 females. The mean age at operation was 3.7 months, the mean hospital stay was 4.6 days. The mean operative time was 76.7 minutes. The mean follow-up time was from 38 to 104 months (mean follow-up: 71.5 months). There were 46 (82.1%) patients having feeling of urge, 42 (75.0%) patients having capacity to verbalize, and 40 (71.4%) patients having hold the bowel movement. Conclusion: LAEPT is feasible, safe, and effective in the management of high-type ARMs.
Keywords: anorectal malformations; follow-up outcomes; laparoscopic-assisted anorectal pull through.