TL;DR
Get oils, diffusers and self-care delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Doctors treating an infant for abdominal distention, vomiting and constipation found that he had a duplicated colon and rectum. Surgeons connected the two colons by dividing their shared wall rather than removing one, and the child was reported to be doing well a year later.
An infant initially assessed for constipation and possible bowel obstruction was found to have a duplicated colon and rectum, an exceptionally rare anatomical condition, according to a case report in BMJ Case Reports. Surgeons connected the two colons by opening their shared wall, avoiding removal of tissue whose blood supply was also needed by the child’s normal colon.
The child came to an emergency department with abdominal distention, vomiting and constipation and was transferred to a specialist pediatric surgical center after clinicians suspected a partial bowel obstruction. At the center, doctors used several imaging methods, including a CT scan with three-dimensional reconstruction. The scan showed two separate colonic passages leading to one anal canal, with no other anomalies reported.
Surgeons confirmed the duplication during an operation. The extra colon was heavily filled with stool and shared both a wall and a mesentery—the tissue carrying its blood supply—with the native colon. The case authors said removing the duplicated section could have jeopardized blood flow to the entire colon. Instead, the team divided the shared wall to join the two passages. The child also had a temporary ileostomy, which was reversed 10 weeks after surgery.
The child recovered quickly, tolerated feeding through the digestive tract and went home on the seventh day after surgery. A contrast X-ray study, or barium enema, at six weeks showed normal colonic anatomy with some remaining dilation. In their report, the clinicians said he later passed soft stools daily. One year after surgery, Lynn Sinitsky of West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust told MedPage Today that the child was thriving; the report said he continued to have normal bowel habits, sometimes using stool softeners.
Why the Anatomy Changed the Operation
The case matters because the unusual anatomy affected both diagnosis and the safest surgical approach. The shared blood supply meant that removing the duplicated colon could have harmed the functioning colon, according to the authors. Imaging that clarified the anatomy before surgery helped the specialist team plan a procedure intended to preserve it.
The report also highlights the challenge of interpreting persistent symptoms in an infant. Constipation is common, but this child had marked abdominal distention and a history that prompted further investigation. The case does not establish that green stools alone indicate a serious condition; it illustrates why clinicians may need to reassess symptoms that persist or occur alongside other concerning signs.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
A Rare Form of Gut Duplication
Duplications of the alimentary canal can occur anywhere from the mouth to the anus. The case authors cited an estimated frequency of about one in 4,500 births for alimentary-tract duplications overall. More than 80% present before age 2, they wrote. Duplications of the colon account for an estimated 13% to 15% of those cases, while duplication of the entire colon is described as an extremely rare presentation in infancy.
The child’s parents said in a note accompanying the report that they had noticed green stools for four to five months and had raised the issue with health professionals. They wrote that they were reassured the stool color was within the normal range. The case report does not establish that the color itself diagnosed the anatomical condition; the diagnosis was made after the child presented with acute symptoms and underwent specialist assessment and imaging.
““Everyone just attributed it to straightforward constipation without stopping to think, why? Is there something else going on?””
— Lynn Sinitsky, MBBS, of West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, speaking to MedPage Today
Long-Term Outcomes Remain Open
The report describes one child and cannot establish how often similar symptoms signal a duplicated colon or how other patients should be treated. Although the child was doing well a year after surgery, long-term outcomes are not yet known. The authors said they anticipated favorable function based on his progress, while noting that he intermittently needed stool softeners for constipation.
The report also does not provide enough information to determine whether the earlier episodes of green stool were caused by the duplication. The authors documented the family’s concerns, but the anatomical diagnosis was confirmed through imaging and surgery after the child developed abdominal distention, vomiting and constipation.
Follow-Up After Reconstruction
The case report says the child’s ileostomy was reversed 10 weeks after the operation and that he continued to have normal bowel habits, with occasional use of stool softeners. The clinicians’ next concern is his ongoing bowel function, abdominal symptoms, appetite and growth; the report said there were no further concerns in those areas at the time described. Longer-term follow-up will show whether his favorable recovery continues.
Key Questions
What did doctors find?
Imaging and surgery showed a duplicated colon and rectum: two colonic passages descended into a single anal canal. The duplicated section shared a wall and blood supply with the native colon.
Why did surgeons avoid removing the extra colon?
The case authors said the two colons shared a mesentery and blood supply. Removing the duplicated section could have jeopardized blood flow to the entire colon, so surgeons divided the shared wall to connect the passages instead.
How is the child doing after surgery?
According to the report, the child recovered, had the temporary ileostomy reversed 10 weeks after surgery and was doing well one year later. He reportedly had normal bowel habits, although he sometimes needed stool softeners.
Does green stool mean a child has a duplicated colon?
No such conclusion can be drawn from this case. The report records the parents’ observations but does not establish green stool as a diagnostic sign. The duplication was identified through specialist imaging and confirmed during surgery.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
