The International Center for Colorectal and Urogenital Care at Children’s Hospital Colorado has long been an international leader in the diagnosis, surgical treatment and care for children with colorectal and urogenital conditions. Families from around the world come to our team seeking care for conditions like anorectal malformations, Hirschsprung disease and cloaca, as well as follow-up care to address things like bowel management for spina bifida and other conditions.

For decades, our experts have been international leaders in colorectal surgery education through programs like our annual Colorectal Workshop (Peña Course). With thousands of hours of patient care and cutting-edge research over the decades, physicians from around the world trust our team’s expertise in ensuring we provide a better future for children with these conditions.

What our colorectal research means for kids

The surgery performed for colorectal and urogenital conditions impacts patients for their entire lives. Our research is crucial to ensuring that the children we treat receive the best surgical care so they can live their best lives. Beyond that, we want to help improve care provided around the world for children with colorectal and urogenital conditions, which is why we share the ways we improve our surgical techniques through conferences and research publications.

We have the longest running database of patients with colorectal and urogenital conditions, which we started in 1980. Thousands of surgical repairs of colorectal and urogenital conditions are recorded to track the progress of these treatments, and our team is working with a global community of surgeons to continually expand this database.

As we continue making advancements in treating anorectal malformations like cloaca, we need to make sure that we continue improving care for adults who have had surgery for cloaca as children. Research like this is essential for continuity of care, so that the high-quality care we provide children is also available as those patients reach adulthood.

Advancements in colorectal and urogenital research

Many colorectal and urogenital conditions affect patients’ ability to consistently have bowel movements. Fecal incontinence and chronic idiopathic constipation can impact patients before and after surgery. Our team prioritizes creating effective bowel management plans so that patients have the best possible quality of life. This important priority is supported by ongoing innovation and research, including a comprehensive Bowel Management Program and using radiological supervision to improve its effectiveness.

By tracking our outcomes and levels of patient safety year-over-year, we are continuously improving patient care. Not only does this help us track the progress we are making in treatment, but this transparency also lets our patients, families and their primary care providers feel confident that they are receiving the highest quality care for children with colorectal and urogenital conditions.