Colorectal & Urogenital Center
Unmatched patient experience. Advanced treatment options. Leaders in colorectal and urogenital care.
Colorectal and Urogenital Center
Call today to schedule an appointment with one of our pediatric specialists.
Surgery Referrals
At CHOC, now part of Rady Children’s Health, we understand how challenging it is for families to see their child live with a complex colorectal or urogenital condition. The CHOC Colorectal and Urogenital Center is dedicated to helping children thrive through expert, compassionate care tailored to their medical, developmental, and emotional needs. Whether your child is newly diagnosed, recovering from colorectal surgery, or managing long-term issues like neurogenic bladder or chronic constipation, our team is here with support and solutions from childhood through adolescence.
The CHOC Difference
As the only dedicated pediatric colorectal and urogenital treatment center in the region, we provide families with truly coordinated care—all in one place. Our multidisciplinary team includes specialists in pediatric surgery, pediatric urology, gastroenterology, motility disorders, and wound and ostomy care, working together to create individualized treatment plans for each child—which may include:
- Multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment planning. Upon referral, patients undergo advanced diagnostic testing to guide the most effective and individualized care plan for their colorectal or pelvic condition. During a single coordinated visit, families meet with a team of pediatric colorectal surgeons and nurse practitioners, motility gastroenterologists, pediatric psychologist, skin and ostomy nurses, and a nursing care coordinator—to develop a comprehensive, personalized treatment plan. Pediatric urology consultations can be arranged the same day, and referrals to our pediatric gynecologist are facilitated as needed.
- Expert diagnosis and second opinions for complex colorectal and pelvic conditions. Our specialists provide thorough evaluations and second opinions for children with challenging or unclear diagnoses, including Hirschsprung disease, imperforate anus, cloaca, severe functional constipation, and other complex colorectal and urogenital disorders.
- Advanced diagnostics, including pediatric anorectal and colonic manometry. Through the Gastroenterology Motility Program at our state-of-the-art Motility Procedure Center, we offer specialized gastrointestinal motility testing, including anorectal manometry, colonic manometry, anal Botox® injections, and biofeedback therapy. For appropriate patients, outpatient anorectal manometry evaluations may also be completed on the same day as their clinic visit.
- Specialized colorectal surgery. Our renowned pediatric colorectal surgeons perform surgical treatment for conditions such as imperforate anus, cloacal malformations, spina bifida, and cloacal and bladder exstrophy. They work closely with gastroenterologists and urologists to provide seamless, team-based care throughout every stage of surgery.
- Personalized bowel management programs. We develop individualized plans to manage constipation and fecal incontinence, using the latest evidence-based approaches tailored to each child’s unique anatomy and needs. Learn more about our Bowel Management Program.
- Long-term postoperative colorectal care. We provide ongoing medical management for children after colorectal surgery, including those treated at other hospitals. Follow-up frequency is tailored based on each child’s condition—ranging from monthly visits to several times a year.
- Access to cutting-edge therapies and clinical trials. As a member of the Pediatric Colorectal and Pelvic Learning Consortium (PCPLC), we offer families access to the latest research-based treatments, clinical studies, and national best practices.
What We Treat
As one of the top-ranked children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, we are committed to providing the highest quality of care for children and teens with colorectal and urogenital disorders.
- Exstrophy of the Bladder
- Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction (CIPO)
- Cloacal anomalies
- Difficult-to-treat or chronic constipation
- Fecal incontinence
- Neurogenic bladder
- Congenital disorders including skeletal dysplasias and osteogenesis imperfecta
- Hirschsprung disease
- Imperforate anus
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- Spina bifida
Continence Optimization and Management Program for Pediatric Anorectal Support Services (COMPASS)
Starting a bowel management program can feel overwhelming, but you are not alone. Our dedicated colorectal team is here to partner with your family, answer your questions, and provide support every step of the way. To help families navigate this journey with confidence, we created the Continence Optimization and Management Program for Pediatric Anorectal Support Services (COMPASS).
What is COMPASS?
COMPASS is a structured, physician-led bowel management approach designed to help children achieve better bowel control, greater independence, and an improved quality of life. Families benefit from:
- A 2-week individualized virtual treatment plan
- Management by a dedicated colorectal nurse practitioner
- Regular check-ins with colorectal specialists
- Ongoing follow-up and support
Our fully virtual care approach allows our team to work closely with your family while you remain in the comfort of your own home. Throughout the program, we will monitor your child’s progress and make adjustments to their bowel management plan as needed.
How to apply
To help us best support your child, please complete the application form with information about your child’s condition and previous treatments. Our team will review your child’s medical history and any additional records needed to better understand their diagnosis and current bowel management needs. Having this information available in advance helps us determine the most appropriate next steps for your child.
All required records and preparation materials must be completed and submitted at least one month before the start of treatment to allow sufficient time for review by our colorectal team.
If your child is not a candidate for this treatment, our team will continue to support your family by providing additional guidance, services, and resources. If space is limited, your child may be placed on a waitlist and considered for participation in the following quarter.
We are committed to supporting your child and family every step of the way. If you have questions or need assistance at any point during the application process, please contact our team.
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone number: 714-509-4099 Option 2, Option 5
Colorectal and urogenital disorders are complex. Our multidisciplinary team works together using advanced diagnostics to create treatment plans that are mindful of your child’s medical, physical and emotional needs both now and in the future.
Anal Neural Mapping
Examination performed under general anesthesia to assess the precise location of the rectal opening relative to the muscular sphincter complex.
Anorectal Manometry
A non-invasive test that measures rectal nerve reflexes, pressure of the anal sphincter, coordination between the muscles involved in defecation, and the ability to squeeze and sense. It provides insight into the underlying problems in the mechanics of defecation.
Biofeedback Therapy
Scheduled sessions involve patients using their abdominal and rectal muscles to control computer programs much like a video game. The goal of this type of treatment is to “retrain” the coordination between the muscles and nerves that are used for bowel movements.
Botox Injections
Botulinum toxin injections are used to relieve increased pressures in the anus in conditions such as anal achalasia or post-surgical Hirschsprung’s disease patients.
Cecostomies for Antegrade Colonic Enemas
This is a procedure to relieve severe constipation that does not respond to medications.
Cloacagram
3-D imaging used in females diagnosed with a cloacal anomaly that shows the patient’s overlapping structures, as well as a measurement of their common channel. This information is important in the planning of cloaca repair surgeries.
Colonic Manometry
This test measures contractions in the colon. It provides an understanding of the underlying movement in the colon.
Colorectal Transit Study
This study measures the time needed for stool to pass through the gastrointestinal tract, and utilizes X-rays and radio-opaque markers.
Defecography
Defecography uses an X-ray to look at the shape and position of the rectum as it empties.
Intestinal Fluoroscopic Imaging
Imaging study where a catheter is inserted into the GI tract, followed by the administration of a contrast-containing liquid, which allows X-ray images to be taken, showing the position, diameter, and overall configuration of the GI tract.
Malone Antegrade Continence Enema (MACE)
A surgically created channel between the abdomen and the colon that allows for enemas through the beginning of the colon down to the rectum.
Video-Urodynamics
A study that involves inserting a small catheter into a child’s bladder to measure bladder pressure. This is helpful in understanding how well a child’s bladder fills and empties.
Our Multidisciplinary Team of Colorectal Specialists
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