Primary Children's Hospital - Salt Lake City

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The Colorectal Center

at Primary Children's Hospital

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We provide a multidisciplinary approach with surgery, urology, gastroenterology, gynecology, neurosurgery, cardiology, nursing, child life, social work, and nutrition. Care coordination for our patients is initiated at birth or upon referral to the colorectal and pelvic disorders center.

We currently manage over 500 patients at the colorectal and pelvic disorders center.

Every year we see an average of 35 patients newly diagnosed with Hirschsprung disease and/or anorectal malformations.

We have a dedicated bowel management program which has enabled us to decrease our annual emergency department visits from 53% to 11% and unplanned hospitalizations from 34% to 6%.

We co-founded and actively participate in the Pediatric Colorectal and Pelvic Learning Consortium. This consortium is comprised of surgeons, scientists and other specialists who facilitate research on anorectal malformations, Hirschsprung disease, and other colorectal and pelvic disorders. We are actively populating a biorepository for patients with Hirschsprung disease and anorectal malformations. This enables collaboration with human geneticists to further our understanding of these disorders. We are focused on conducting outcomes research to enhance the long-term quality of life for children with colorectal problems.
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Research

Participating and advancing research is critical to improving patient outcomes. Here are a few research programs we actively participate in:

  • Hirschsprung's Disease Research Collaborative - A multi-institutional study investigating the genetics of Hirschsprung’s disease.
  • Primary Children’s Hospital Colorectal Center Biobank - Tissue collection of patients with anorectal malformations and Hirschsprung’s disease for future genetic investigation.
  • Colorectal Center Patient Registry - Patients with anorectal malformations, Hirschsprung’s, spina bifida, and idiopathic constipation. Collect surgical/patient data and long-term functional outcomes.
  • Quality of Life Study - Patients with anorectal malformations, Hirschsprung’s, spina bifida, and idiopathic constipation.
  • Utah Genome Project Partnership Grants Program – The genetic basis of Hirschsprung’s disease: identification of genetic interactions that explain the variable phenotype.
  • Utah Population Database - A population-based study of the familial incidence of Anorectal Malformations and Hirschsprung’s disease. Describe incidence in a large population. Identify high risk families for genetic investigation.

Patient resources

Colorectal conditions are difficult for both the child and family. Learn more about some of the resources available to families with colorectal conditions.

Colorectal Center Family Support Group: A private Facebook group for patients and parents to discuss issues related to anorectal malformations, Hirschsprung’s Disease, and severe idiopathic constipation.

Utah Parent Center: A training and information center founded by parents of children and youth with all disabilities to help other parents facing similar challenges throughout Utah. The staff has built collaborative networks with education, health and human service professionals, agencies and organizations. 

Medical Home Portal: A unique source of reliable information about children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN), offering a “one-stop shop” for their: Families, Physicians, and Medical Home teams. 

Pull Through Network: A forum of exchange of information among parents with common concerns in colorectal problems.

Hirschsprung’s and Motility Disorders Support Network: An online network of people and families with children who suffer from Hirschsprung’s disease and other gastrointestinal motility disorders. HMDSN also offers a group specifically for adults with motility disorders.