Human intestine is a highly organized and intricate system that plays a crucial role in nutrient absorption, immune response, and homeostasis maintenance. Disruptions in its development can lead to various intestinal disorders. Congenital Intestinal malformations (CIM), specifically, are a group of structural anomalies in the digestive tract caused by abnormal embryonic development. These malformations may affect the small intestine, large intestine, or their connections, leading to the inability of food to pass through normally and causing a range of clinical manifestations. Typical symptoms include vomiting, abdominal distension, delayed passage of meconium, inability to defecate, abdominal pain, constipation, as well as weight loss and delayed growth and development. Congenital intestinal malformations in children include Hirschsprung's disease, anorectal malformations, intestinal atresia, congenital short bowel syndrome, intestinal malrotation, gastrointestinal tract duplication, megacystis-microcolon-intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome, Meckel's diverticulum and so on. Most of these malformations can be corrected surgically. Although outcomes in patients have evolved throughout the past decades, there is still urgent and pressing need for a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology and further improvements both in functional outcomes and quality of life.
In order to continuously optimize clinical decision-making and gradually improve the effectiveness of clinical interventions, this research topic will focus on (i)new breakthroughs and applications in research models and technical methods for various intestinal disorders, (ii) new discoveries and insights into disease etiology, pathogenesis, and key regulatory factors, (iii) new attempts at prenatal diagnostic methods and differential diagnostic experiences of atypical cases, (iv) new paradigms and typical case studies of high-throughput drug screening assisted by artificial intelligence, and (v) new practices and reflections on clinical treatment and intervention methods. This is aimed at providing important evidence for a better understanding of the factors influencing human intestinal development, determining reasonable disease intervention windows and methods, and formulating individualized and systematic treatment plans in the near future.
We invite researchers to submit manuscripts of original clinical or experimental research, full-length reviews, mini-reviews and case reports from worldwide. We hope to establish an effective communication platform for pediatricians to promote academic exchanges between pediatric gastroenterologist, pediatric surgeons and basic researchers.
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Case Report
Clinical Trial
Editorial
FAIR² Data
FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
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Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
