Normal life looks a lot different these days, especially in healthcare. But there is one thing that hasn’t changed at Children’s Colorado: Your child’s health and safety are our highest priority. Kids need great pediatric care as much now as ever, and it’s for that reason that we’re reactivating services we temporarily suspended due to the pandemic. We are here to deliver safe, thoughtful, high-quality care for kids who need it. Learn what to expect – and all the ways we’re keeping patients safe.
If you're concerned that you or your child may have been exposed to COVID-19, please do NOT visit an emergency or urgent care location. Instead, call your doctor or our free ParentSmart Healthline at 720-777-0123 for guidance.
In life-threatening emergencies, find the emergency room location nearest you. For non-life-threatening medical needs when your pediatrician is unavailable, visit one of our urgent care locations.
To help inform you about the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) updates, experts from Children's Colorado have gathered information from local and national health authorities.
Hearing that your baby has an anorectal malformation can be frightening. Anorectal malformations are defects that occur during the fifth to seventh week of fetal development. An anorectal malformation is a condition in which the anus (opening at the end of the large intestine through which stool passes) and the rectum (area of the large intestine just above the anus) do not develop properly.
Some women may learn that their baby has an anorectal malformation like cloaca during pregnancy, and some may not find out until after their baby is born. These families share how they found out their baby had cloaca and how they handled the news.
What is cloaca?
Cloaca is a malformation that affects the rectum and urogenital tract in females. Females are normally born with three perineal openings: urethra, vagina and anus. Children born with a cloacal anomaly only have one opening because the urethra, vagina and rectum are joined together as a common channel instead of three separate ones. The length of the common channel may vary between 1 cm and 10 cm.
Short common channel (less than 3 cm in length)
Intermediate common channel (between 3 and 5 cm)
Long common channel (more than 5 cm)
Our surgical expertise
Our surgeons have specialized expertise in treating anorectal malformations, such as cloaca. Our team is led by Alberto Peña, MD, who transformed colorectal treatment by introducing the posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP), also known as the pull-through, procedure.
An anorectal malformation, like cloaca, is a condition that affects a baby’s ability to have a bowel movement. Learn how we treat these conditions in our International Center for Colorectal Care.
We’ve compiled helpful information, videos and links related to complex colorectal conditions and information about our support programs for families.
Partnership with the University of Colorado School of Medicine
Children's Hospital Colorado partners with the University of Colorado School of Medicine, where many of our physicians and care providers serve as faculty.
What are anorectal malformations?
Patient ratings and reviews are not available
Children's Hospital Colorado partners with NRC Health to gather star ratings and reviews from patients, residents and family survey data.
This provider either practices in a department or specialty that we currently do not survey, or does not have at least 20 ratings in the last 12 months. Learn more about patient ratings and reviews.
Provider affiliation
Children's Hospital Colorado providers
Children’s Hospital Colorado providers are faculty members of the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Our specialists are nationally ranked and globally recognized for delivering the best possible care in pediatrics.
Community providers
Some healthcare professionals listed on our website have medical privileges to practice at Children’s Hospital Colorado, but they are community providers. They schedule and bill separately for their services, and are not employees of the Hospital.