Complications after surgery for anorectal malformations: an ARM-Net consortium registry study

Objective: Establishing the incidence and types of complications following surgical intervention for ARM, primarily after reconstruction. Patient- and treatment-related risk factors were also determined. Background: Postoperative complications of ARM surgery vary widely, with data predominantly derived from single-center retrospective studies with limited number of patients. Whether factors such as ARM type, associated congenital anomalies, prior enterostomy, or type of reconstructive surgery affect complication incidence remains unclear. Methods: This multicenter cohort study was performed using the ARM-Net registry with prospectively collected data. Enterostomy-related and post-reconstructive complications in patients who underwent reconstructive surgery before the age of five years were recorded. Patients with more than 25 % missing data, unknown sex, ARM type, or reconstruction date, or without (information on) reconstruction or complications, were excluded. Multivariable analyses identified independent risk factors for the development of complications. Results: A total of 2,043 patients were eligible for analysis. Complications after enterostomy formation and closure occurred in 25 % and 12 % of patients, respectively. Post-reconstructive complications occurred in 25 % of patients, with wound complications comprising half of the complications. In a multivariable analysis, recto-bladder neck fistula, any associated anomaly, and the LAARP procedure were identified as independent risk factors for post-reconstructive complications. In contrast, anoplasty and mini-PSARP reduce the risk of complications. Conclusions: Post-reconstructive complications in ARM patients are common, and certain patient- and treatment-related characteristics affect postoperative outcomes. These results aid counselling and clinical decision-making, and may guide the operative planning of ARM types that are amenable to several different surgical approaches.