Mucosal stripping and muscular layer quilting in the treatment of anal canal duplication: Operative technique

Anal canal duplication (ACD) is the least frequent digestive duplication [1]. It presents as a perineal orifice that ends with a tract along the anal canal [2]. Symptoms are often absent but can occur or worsen with age. Surgical excision of the duplicated anus is required because of the risk of infection and malignancy [3]. Here we present a patient with ACD that was treated with a technique that we pioneered called mucosal stripping and muscular layer quilting (MSMQ). This technique was performed for the first time in our clinic 11 years ago on 2 patients and has been described in a case report [4]. We describe the surgical technique here using a case presentation with photographs that illustrate the technique.