title: Perineal canal: a special entity of anorectal malformations in Vietnam.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report our clinical experience with the perineal canal and suggest the management.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review of patients with perineal canal were classified by lesion characteristics into Group I: active perineal inflammation, Group II: vulvar excoriation and Group III: no active inflammation. Group III patients underwent primary surgical repair. Group I and II patients underwent repair after medical management. The fistula was repaired by the modified Tsuchida's technique consisting of an anterior anopullthrough and excision of the fistula tract (reverse order).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between September 1999 and August 2003, we treated 120 cases of perineal canal. Group I, II and III consisted of 74, 12 and 34 patients, respectively. In two patients of Group I (2.7%), the fistula tract spontaneously closed. The remaining 118 patients were surgically treated with the modified Tsuchida's technique. Recurrences were similar between patients treated with colostomy (1/28 or 3.6%) versus without colostomy (3/90 or 3.0%), as well as between patients initially treated with primary repair (3/102 or 2.9%) versus patients undergoing reoperation with redo repair (1/16 or 6.25%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With proper initial medical treatment, the perineal canal could be repaired successfully in one stage with the modified Tsuchida's technique.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 217 Hong Bang St, Dist 5, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. letanson54@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Le Tan
authors.initials: le T
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Le Thanh
authors.initials: le T
authors.lastname: Hung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003125:Colostomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010502:Perineum / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D012006:Rectovaginal Fistula / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014744:Vietnam; D054515:Vulvar Vestibulitis / Q000209:etiology