Children's Hospital of Orange County

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Colorectal and Urogenital Center

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Gastroenterology Referrals
Physicians can refer patients to CHOC through our eCeptionist Referral Portal.

View the referral guidelines

Refer a Patient

At CHOC, 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 urogential 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 testing to determine the most effective care plan for their colorectal or pelvic condition. Families meet with a team of pediatric colorectal surgeons, motility gastroenterologists, pediatric urologists, skin and ostomy nurses, and a nursing care coordinator in a single visit to develop a comprehensive, personalized treatment plan.
  • 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, such as Hirschsprung’s Disease, and others related to 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.
  • Specialized colorectal surgery. Our renowned pediatric colorectal surgeons perform surgical treatment for conditions such as anorectal malformations, working closely with gastroenterologists and urologists to ensure seamless, team-based care throughout every procedure.
  • 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.
  • 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

We are committed to providing the highest quality of care for children and teens with colorectal and urogenital disorders such as:

girl on a swing

Advanced Diagnostics and Individualized Treatment

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.

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