Summary

Rectal atresia is a rare anorectal malformation, and it has been reported to represent 1%–2% of all anorectal malformations. We report three newborns who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for abdominal distention, bilious vomiting and failure to pass meconium. The external anus and genitalia were normal and well formed. Digital rectal examination showed a blind-ending anal canal. All three infants were initially managed with diverting colostomy and then transanal resection of the rectal atresia with primary anastomosis, followed by colostomy closure. All patients eventually developed normal bowel habits and gained complete bowel control at 3–5 years of age, with mild constipation managed with laxatives. Contrast enema in a newborn with distal bowel obstruction is helpful to delineate the anatomy to show the gaps and to facilitate the procedure. In conclusion, transanal endorectal pull-through is a feasible and safe procedure with satisfactory clinical outcomes.