Increased Incidence of Functional Constipation in Children with a History of Perianal Abscess—A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study

Retrospective cohort study of 155 infants demonstrates that perianal abscess in infancy is associated with 16-fold increased risk of developing functional constipation compared to controls (16% vs 1%, p<0.01). Risk persists regardless of surgical versus conservative management, suggesting prophylactic stool softening may prevent subsequent constipation in this population.