Anorectal anomalies are congenital malformations of the

anus The anus (Latin, 'ring' or 'circle') is an opening at the opposite end of an animal's digestive tract from the mouth. Its function is to control the expulsion of feces, the residual semi-solid waste that remains after food digestion, which, d ...

and

rectum The rectum is the final straight portion of the large intestine in humans and some other mammals, and the Gastrointestinal tract, gut in others. The adult human rectum is about long, and begins at the rectosigmoid junction (the end of the s ...

. One anal anomaly,

imperforate anus An imperforate anus or anorectal malformations (ARMs) are birth defects in which the rectum is malformed. ARMs are a spectrum of different congenital anomalies which vary from fairly minor lesions to complex anomalies. The cause of ARMs is unkno ...

has an estimated incidence of 1 in 5000 births.MedLine Plus.
Imperforate anus
" Retrieved 13 July 2005. It affects boys and girls with similar frequency. Examples of anorectal anomalies include: * Anal

stenosis A stenosis (from Ancient Greek στενός, "narrow") is an abnormal narrowing in a blood vessel or other tubular organ or structure such as foramina and canals. It is also sometimes called a stricture (as in urethral stricture). ''Stricture'' ...

* Proctitis * Anal bleeding *

Anal fistula Anal fistula is a chronic abnormal communication between the epithelialised surface of the anal canal and usually the perianal skin. An anal fistula can be described as a narrow tunnel with its internal opening in the anal canal and its externa ...

Ribbon

The ribbon to represent Anorectal Malformations/Imperforate Anus abnormalities is Turquoise, which encapsulates hope, strength and a positive attitude. Zebra stripes were added to show the uniqueness and represent just how no two zebra markings are the same, nor are people living with ARM/IA. All unique and beautiful.

Awareness Day

The international awareness day for Anorectal Abnormalities is 1 May. The day aims to raise awareness about an abnormality many haven't heard of by creating a human connection for an abnormality that often leaves people feeling alone. The day 1 May was chosen to represent the incidence of the malformation which occur in roughly 1 in 5,000 babies.

References

Colorectal surgery Congenital disorders Rare diseases {{Disease-stub

Ribbon

Awareness Day

See also

References