ABSTRACT
Cloacal malformations, a subset of anorectal malformations (ARM), represent a group of defects that are at the extreme end of the spectrum of complexity of female congenital pelvic anomalies. They occur in one out of every 20,000– 25,000 newborns, comprising approximately 1% of ARM. The rarity of this malformation in addition to its heterogenous and complex nature give it a unique importance. A male variant of cloaca is mentioned in a few case reports and is defined as a single opening in the perineum of a male child through which urine and meconium pass. As this is an extremely rare anomaly, all cloacas referred to in this book will be female cloacal variations.
