Historical Background Omphalocele was first described by Ambrose Paré during the 16th century and was associated with poor prognosis; gastroschisis was likely described by Lycosthenes near the same time. The present-day diagnoses were established in 1953 by Moore and Stokes,…
Intestinal atresia and stenosis are common causes of neonatal intestinal obstruction and can affect any portion of the gastrointestinal tract. “Atresia,” derived from the Greek word atretos, means not perforated. This term is used to describe a congenital absence or…
Normal intestinal growth and development follows a stereotypical pattern of mesenteric rotation and subsequent intestinal fixation to the body wall during fetal life. The term malrotation has been widely used to describe various disorders of abnormal intestinal rotation and fixation.…
The term imperforate anus is a misnomer; it is commonly used to refer to a spectrum of anorectal malformations, ranging from a benign defect that requires a minor operation and results in an excellent prognosis to complex malformations with a…
Hirschsprung disease (HD) is characterized by the absence of ganglion cells in the myenteric and submucosal plexuses of the intestine. The first known description of HD appeared in an ancient Hindu document known as the Sushruta Samheta. There were multiple…
Introduction Meckel diverticula are located along the antimesenteric border of the distal ileum and may contain rests of ectopic tissue. They are the most common congenital anomaly of the alimentary tract with an estimated prevalence of 1% to 4% in…
Inguinal hernia repair is the most common surgical procedure performed by pediatric surgeons. A hernia can be thought of as protrusion of contents through a defect or opening. The many different types of hernias found in children are defined by…
Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge the previous authors Anthony T. Manning and Danny C. Little for their assistance with the 6th edition of this chapter. Introduction Intussusception is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in children less…
Introduction Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical conditions afflicting children and adults. Approximately 250,000 cases occur annually in the United States, with the highest incidence in patients 10 to 19 years of age. The lifetime risk of…
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth The microbiota of the small intestine is essential for proper immune regulation and nutrient absorption. Typically, the concentration of bacteria is less in the proximal small intestine compared with the distal small intestine. Bacterial concentration of…