title: Correlation between Quality of Life and Functional Outcomes in Operated Children with Anorectal Malformations Using the Krickenbeck Consensus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To correlate the functional outcomes in children operated for anorectal malformations (ARM) using the Krickenbeck consensus and their quality of life (QOL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three children operated at a tertiary care Pediatric surgery centre were studied 2 y after completion of all the surgeries and if more than 3 y of age. The functional stooling outcomes, type of anomalies and surgical procedures were tabulated using the Krickenbeck classification. The QOL questionnaire consisted of five parameters (Social habit, school attendance, daily activity, relation to peers and feeling) and the scoring ranged between 0 and 12: Good (8-12), Fair (5-7) and Poor (0-4).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median age of the children at the time of study was 7 y (Range 4-14). Comparison of stooling outcomes and QOL showed no significant difference (p 0.48). QOL was not affected by the age at evaluation, type of anomaly and type of surgical procedure. Children with vertebral, anorectal, cardiac, tracheoesophageal, radial and limb abnormalities (VACTERL) association had poorer QOL as compared to children without VACTERL association (p 0.02). Poor stooling outcomes were seen in children who underwent abdominoperineal pull through procedure (p 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QOL appears to be independent of the stooling outcomes in operated children of ARM with majority enjoying a good QOL (93.9%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. shankyafmc@yahoo.com.|Department of Pediatric Surgery, Army hospital R&R, New Delhi, 110010, India. shankyafmc@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: V Shankar
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Raman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agarwala
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Veereshwar
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bhatnagar
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000071056:Anorectal Malformations / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Adverse stooling outcomes; Anorectal malformations; Krickenbeck classification; Quality of life; VACTERL association