Rectal prolapse in infancy: conservative versus operative treatment.

In infancy there are two types of rectal prolapse. One type is less pronounced and intermittent. This type occurred in 9 out of 17 children referred for rectal prolapse and ceased after a few weeks' conservative treatment. The other type is a more pronounced prolapse occurring at nearly each defecation and lasting several weeks or months. These patients may need an operation, especially when ulceration of the mucosa occurs. In our patients, a Lockhart-Mummery operation was used successfully in all but one patient. No complications were observed. Though less extensive treatment, such as submucosal injection of sclerosing agents, is recommended to be the first method of choice because pathoanatomically the prolapse in infancy is frequently a prolapse of the mucosa, in patients where this therapy does not succeed, a Lockhart-Mummery operation may be an alternative.