Anorectal strictures and genital Crohn disease: an unusual clinical association.

Perianal disease is a well-recognized complication of Crohn disease and is often present when diagnosis is made (1,2). The reported incidence of perianal Crohn disease in the pediatric population varies between 13% and 62% (3–6). Anorectal stricture is a less common manifestation, and rarely are symptoms noted unless complicated by perianal sepsis or fistulae (7,8). Genital involvement is rare in adults and children. Crohn disease already poses a major medical and psychosocial impact on young people. The additional problems of chronic genital and rectal involvement, poor response to treatment, and need for repeat treatments presents an additional burden. We report a series of nine young patients with Crohn disease and anorectal stricture, five of whom had associated genital disease. All patients were actively undergoing treatment at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne at the time of reporting, and information was collected retrospectively and prospectively.