Effect of infliximab on short-term complications in patients undergoing operation for chronic ulcerative colitis

NSQIP 5-factor modified frailty index and complications after ileal anal pouch anastomosis for ulcerative colitis

Background

Frailty has been associated with worse postoperative outcomes. The 5-factor modified frailty index (mFI-5) is an objective measure although its validity in measuring frailty in patients undergoing ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) for chronic ulcerative colitis (CUC) has not been reported.

Methods

This study used the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) targeted proctectomy database. The mFI-5 was calculated by five preoperative diagnoses: insulin-dependent or noninsulin-dependent diabetes, congestive heart failure, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and dependent or partially dependent functional status. The impact of mFI-5 on minor and major postoperative morbidity in CUC patients undergoing IPAA was analyzed.

Results

The cohort included 1454 patients (median age 38 years, median body mass index [BMI] 26 kg/m2) of which 87 % had a mFI-5 = 0, 11 % had a mFI-5 = 1, and 2.5 % a mFI-5 ≥ 2. In multivariable logistic regression, mFI-5 ≥ 2 was significantly associated with minor complications (OR = 2.29, 95 % CI [1.00-5.22], p = 0.049), but not with major complications (p = 0.860).

Conclusion

IPAA for CUC is associated with high postoperative morbidity, however, the mFI-5 alone has limited utility in determining which patients are at a higher risk of complications due to frailty. These observations suggest there is a need for more relevant instruments to measure frailty in this patient cohort.

Tofacitinib Is Associated With Increased Risk of Postoperative Venous Thromboembolism in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis

BACKGROUND

In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration issued a black box warning for increased risk of venous thromboembolism in patients with rheumatoid arthritis exposed to tofacitinib. There are limited data regarding postoperative venous thromboembolism risk in patients with ulcerative colitis exposed to tofacitinib.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether preoperative exposure to tofacitinib is associated with increased odds of postoperative venous thromboembolism.

DESIGN

Retrospective review.

SETTINGS

Tertiary academic medical center.

PATIENTS

Consecutive patients exposed to tofacitinib within 4 weeks before total abdominal colectomy or total proctocolectomy, with or without ileostomy, from 2014 to 2021, matched 1:2 for tofacitinib exposure or no exposure.

INTERVENTION

Tofacitinib exposure versus no exposure.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Ninety-day postoperative venous thromboembolism rate.

RESULTS

Forty-two patients with tofacitinib exposure and 84 case-matched patients without tofacitinib exposure underwent surgery for medically refractory ulcerative colitis. Nine (22.0%) tofacitinib-exposed patients and 7 (8.5%) unexposed patients were diagnosed with venous thromboembolism within 90 days of surgery. In univariate logistic regression, patients exposed to tofacitinib had 3.01 times increased odds of developing venous thromboembolism within 90 days after surgery compared to unexposed patients ( p = 0.04; 95% CI, 1.03-8.79). Other venous thromboembolism risk factors were not significantly associated with venous thromboembolisms. Venous thromboembolisms in both groups were most commonly portomesenteric vein thromboses (66.7% in the tofacitinib-exposed group and 42.9% in the unexposed group) and were diagnosed at a mean of 23.2 days (range, 3-90 days) postoperatively in the tofacitinib-exposed group and 7.9 days (1-19 days) in the unexposed group. There were no statistically significant differences in location or timing between the 2 groups.

LIMITATIONS

Retrospective nature of the study and associated biases. Reliance on clinically diagnosed venous thromboembolisms may underreport the true incidence rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Tofacitinib exposure before surgery for medically refractory ulcerative colitis is associated with 3 times increased odds of venous thromboembolism compared with patients without tofacitinib exposure. See Video Abstract .

TOFACITINIB SE ASOCIA CON UN MAYOR RIESGO DE TROMBOEMBOLISMO VENOSO POSTOPERATORIO EN PACIENTES CON COLITIS ULCEROSA

ANTECEDENTES:En 2019, la FDA emitió una advertencia de recuadro negro sobre un mayor riesgo de tromboembolismo venoso en pacientes con artritis reumatoide expuestos a tofacitinib. Hay datos limitados sobre el riesgo de tromboembolismo venoso postoperatorio en pacientes con colitis ulcerosa expuestos a tofacitinib.OBJETIVO:Evaluar si la exposición preoperatoria a tofacitinib se asocia con mayores probabilidades de tromboembolismo venoso postoperatorio.DISEÑO:Revisión retrospectiva.LUGARES:Centro médico académico terciario.PACIENTES:Pacientes consecutivos expuestos a tofacitinib dentro de las 4 semanas previas a la colectomía abdominal total o proctocolectomía total, con o sin ileostomía, entre 2014 y 2021, emparejados 1:2 para exposición a tofacitinib o ninguna exposición.INTERVENCIÓN(S):Exposición a tofacitinib versus ninguna exposición.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Tasa de tromboembolismo venoso posoperatorio a los 90 días.RESULTADOS:Cuarenta y dos pacientes con exposición a tofacitinib y 84 pacientes de casos similares sin exposición a tofacitinib se sometieron a cirugía por colitis ulcerosa médicamente refractaria. Nueve (22,0%) pacientes expuestos a tofacitinib y 7 (8,5%) pacientes no expuestos fueron diagnosticados con tromboembolismo venoso dentro de los 90 días posteriores a la cirugía. En la regresión logística univariada, los pacientes expuestos a tofacitinib tuvieron 3,01 veces más probabilidades de desarrollar un tromboembolismo venoso dentro de los 90 días posteriores a la cirugía en comparación con los no expuestos ( p = 0,04, IC del 95 %: 1,03-8,79). Otros factores de riesgo de tromboembolismo venoso no se asociaron significativamente con el tromboembolismo venoso. Los tromboembolismos venosos en ambos grupos fueron más comúnmente trombosis de la vena portomesentérica (66,7% en los expuestos a tofacitinib y 42,9% en los no expuestos) y se diagnosticaron en una media de 23,2 días (rango, 3-90 días) después de la operación en los expuestos a tofacitinib y 7,9 días. (1-19 días) en los grupos no expuestos, respectivamente. No hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la ubicación o el momento entre los dos grupos.LIMITACIONES:Carácter retrospectivo del estudio y sesgos asociados. La dependencia de tromboembolismos venosos diagnosticados clínicamente puede subestimar la tasa de incidencia real.CONCLUSIONES:La exposición a tofacitinib antes de la cirugía para la colitis ulcerosa médicamente refractaria se asocia con probabilidades 3 veces mayores de tromboembolismo venoso en comparación con los pacientes sin exposición a tofacitinib. (Traducción-Dr. Mauricio Santamaria ).

National trends and outcomes of total proctocolectomy and completion proctectomy ileal pouch-anal anastomosis procedures for ulcerative colitis

AIM

The purpose of this study is to assess US operative trends and outcomes of ulcerative colitis (UC) patients undergoing total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (TPC-IPAA) or completion proctectomy with IPAA (CP-IPAA).

METHODS

Adult UC patients who underwent TPC-IPAA or CP-IPAA were analysed retrospectively using the 2016-2020 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Factors associated with 30-day overall and serious morbidity were identified using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 1696 patients were identified, with 958 patients (56.5%) undergoing TPC-IPAA and 738 (43.5%) undergoing CP-IPAA. A greater proportion of TPC-IPAAs were performed each year (except in 2019) compared to CP-IPAAs over the study period (P trend <0.001). Unadjusted analysis showed comparable rates of overall (20.8% vs. 24.4%, P = 0.076) and serious morbidity (14.3% vs. 12.7%, P = 0.352) between TPC-IPAA and CP-IPAA patients. Robotic TPC-IPAA had no differences in complications compared to laparoscopic and open approaches. Robotic CP-IPAA had higher anastomotic leak rates and longer hospital length of stay compared to laparoscopic and open approaches. Obesity was associated with increased odds of overall and serious morbidity for patients who underwent TPC-IPAA. Steroid/immunosuppressive therapy was associated with increased odds of overall and serious morbidity for patients who underwent CP-IPAA.

CONCLUSIONS

Obese patients should be informed of their increased morbidity risk and offered counselling on weight loss prior to surgery when feasible. Patients on steroid/immunosuppressive therapy within 30 days preoperatively should not undergo CP-IPAA or should delay surgery until they can be safely off those medications.

The Impact of Obesity on Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Obesity is prevalent in the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) population, particularly in newly developed countries where both IBD and obesity in the general population are on the rise. The role of obesity in the pathogenesis of IBD was entertained but results from available studies are conflicting. It does, however, appear to negatively influence disease course whilst impacting on our medical and surgical therapies. The pro-inflammatory profile of the visceral adipose tissue might play a role in the pathogenesis and course of Crohn's Disease (CD). Interestingly, isolating the mesentery from the surgical anastomosis using a KONO-S technique significantly decreases anastomotic recurrence rate. Anti-obesity therapy is not widely used in IBD but was suggested as an adjunctive therapy in those patients. In this review, we aimed to highlight the epidemiology of obesity in IBD and to describe its influence on disease course and outcomes.

Ulcerative colitis: Addressing the manifestations, the role of fecal microbiota transplantation as a novel treatment option and other therapeutic updates

The prevalence and incidence of Ulcerative Colitis (UC), a recurrent and remitting inflammatory condition, are rising. Any part of the colon may be affected, beginning with inflammation of the mucosa in the rectum and continuing proximally continuously. Bloody diarrhea, tenesmus, fecal urgency, and stomach pain are typical presenting symptoms. Many patients present with extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs) including musculoskeletal, ocular, renal, hepatobiliary, and dermatological presentation, among others. Most cases are treated with pharmacological therapy including mesalazine and glucocorticoids. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a novel procedure that is increasingly being used to treat UC, however, its use yet remains controversial because of uncertain efficacy. FMT can lower gut permeability and consequently disease severity by boosting short-chain fatty acids production, helping in epithelial barrier integrity preservation. Upadacitinib (JAK Kinase inhibitor) is another newer treatment option, which is an FDA-approved drug that is being used to treat UC. This review article provides a comprehensive review of the EIMs of UC, the role of FMT along with various recent clinical trials pertaining to FMT as well as other diagnostic and therapeutic updates.

The Effect of Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Therapy within 12 Weeks Prior to Surgery on Postoperative Complications in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The rate of abdominal surgical interventions and associated postoperative complications in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients is still substantially high. There is an ongoing debate as to whether or not patients who undergo treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) agents may have an increased risk for general and surgical postoperative complications. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in order to assess the effect of anti-TNF-α treatment within 12 weeks (washout period) prior to abdominal surgery on 30-day postoperative complications in patients with IBD. The results of previously published meta-analyses examining the effect of preoperative anti-TNF-α treatment on postoperative complications reported conflicting findings which is why we specifically focus on the effect of anti-TNF-α treatment within 12 weeks prior to surgery. PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science, World Health Organization Trial Registry, ClinicalTrials.gov and reference lists were searched (June 1995−February 2022) to identify studies, investigating effects of anti-TNF-α treatment prior to abdominal surgery on postoperative complications in IBD patients. Pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and subgroup analyses were performed. In this case, 55 cohort studies (22,714 patients) were included. Overall, postoperative complications (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.04−1.45; p = 0.02), readmission (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.11−1.73; p = 0.004), and intra-abdominal septic complications (OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.44−2.49; p < 0.00001) were significantly higher for anti-TNF-α-treated patients. Significantly higher intra-abdominal abscesses and readmission were found for anti-TNF-α-treated CD patients (p = 0.05; p = 0.002). Concomitant treatment with immunosuppressives in <50% of anti-TNF-α-treated patients was associated with significantly lower mortality rates (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.12−0.83; p = 0.02). Anti-TNF-α treatment within 12 weeks prior to surgery is associated with higher short-term postoperative complication rates (general and surgical) for patients with IBD, especially CD.

[Ileal pouch after restorative coloproctectomy]

The continuous development of pouch surgery has enabled continence-preserving treatment after coloproctectomy. The ileoanal J‑pouch is nowadays the standard reconstruction after restorative coloproctectomy with excellent functional long-term results. Taking the relative contraindications and a suitable patient selection into consideration, pouch placement can be indicated not only for ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis, but also for patients with nonfistular Crohn's disease. Due to a high treatment density with immunosuppressants, the surgical treatment regimen should be subdivided into a multistage procedure, whereby according to current data a modified two-stage procedure should be favored.

Elective and Emergent Surgery in the Ulcerative Colitis Patient

Ulcerative colitis (UC) requires surgical management in 20 to 30% of patients. Indications for surgery include medically refractory disease, dysplasia, cancer, and other complications of UC. Appropriate patient selection for timing and staging of surgery is paramount for optimal outcomes. Restorative proctocolectomy is the preferred standard of care and can afford many patients with excellent quality of life. There have been significant shifts in the treatment of UC-associated dysplasia, with less patients requiring surgery and more entering surveillance programs. There is ongoing controversy surrounding the management of UC-associated colorectal cancer and the techniques that should be used. This article reviews the most recent literature on the indications for elective and emergent surgical intervention for UC and the considerations behind the surgical options.

Emergent and Urgent Surgery for Ulcerative Colitis in the United States in the Minimally Invasive and Biologic Era

BACKGROUND

Although the overall adoption of minimally invasive surgery in the nonemergent management of ulcerative colitis is established, little is known about its utilization in emergency settings.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to assess rates of urgent and emergent surgery over time in the era of emerging biologic therapies and to highlight the current practice in the United States regarding the utilization of minimally invasive surgery for urgent and emergent indications for ulcerative colitis.

DESIGN

This was a retrospective analysis study.

SETTINGS

Data were collected from the American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program database.

PATIENTS

All adult patients who underwent emergent or urgent colectomy for ulcerative colitis were included.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Rates of emergency operations over time and utilization trends of minimally invasive surgery in urgent and emergent settings were assessed. Unadjusted and adjusted overall, surgical, and medical 30-day complication rates were compared between open and minimally invasive surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 2219 patients were identified. Of those, 1515 patients (68.3%) underwent surgery in an urgent setting and 704 (31.7%) as an emergency. Emergent cases decreased over time (21% in 2006 to 8% in 2018; p < 0.0001). However, the rate of urgent surgeries has not significantly changed (42% in 2011 to 46% in 2018; p = 0.44). Minimally invasive surgery was offered to 70% of patients in the urgent group (1058/1515) and 22.6% of emergent indications (159/704). Overall, minimally invasive surgery was increasingly utilized over the study period in urgent (38% in 2011 to 71% in 2018; p < 0.0001) and emergent (0% in 2005 to 42% in 2018; p < 0.0001) groups. Compared to minimally invasive surgery, open surgery was associated with a higher risk of surgical, septic, and overall complications, and prolonged hospitalization.

LIMITATIONS

This study was limited by its retrospective nature of the analysis.

CONCLUSION

Based on a nationwide analysis from the United States, minimally invasive surgery has been increasingly and safely implemented for emergent and urgent indications for ulcerative colitis. Although the sum of emergent and urgent cases remained the same over the study period, emergency cases decreased significantly over the study period, which may be related to improved medical treatment options and a collaborative, specialized team approach. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B847 .

CIRUGA DE URGENCIA Y EMERGENCIA PARA LA COLITIS ULCEROSA EN LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS EN LA ERA MNIMAMENTE INVASIVA Y DE TERAPIA BIOLGICA

ANTECEDENTES:Si bien se ha establecido la adopción generalizada de la cirugía mínimamente invasiva en el tratamiento electivo de la colitis ulcerosa, se sabe poco sobre su utilización en situaciones de emergencia.OBJETIVO:Evaluar las tasas de cirugía de urgencia a lo largo del tiempo en la era de las terapias biológicas emergentes y destacar la práctica actual en los Estados Unidos con respecto a la utilización de la cirugía mínimamente invasiva para las indicaciones de urgencia y emergencia de la colitis ulcerosa.DISEÑO:Análisis retrospectivo.AJUSTES:Base de datos del Programa Nacional de Mejoramiento de la Calidad del Colegio Americano de Cirujanos.PACIENTES:Todos los pacientes adultos que se sometieron a colectomía de emergencia o urgencia por colitis ulcerosa.MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Se evaluaron las tasas de operaciones de emergencia a lo largo del tiempo y las tendencias de utilización de la cirugía mínimamente invasiva en entornos de urgencia y emergencia. Se compararon las tasas de complicaciones generales, quirúrgicas y médicas de 30 días no ajustadas y ajustadas entre la cirugía abierta y la mínimamente invasiva.RESULTADOS:Se identificaron un total de 2.219 pacientes. De ellos, 1.515 pacientes (68,3%) fueron intervenidos de urgencia y 704 (31,7%) de emergencia. Los casos emergentes disminuyeron con el tiempo (21% en 2006 a 8% en 2018; p <0,0001). Sin embargo, la tasa de cirugías urgentes no ha cambiado significativamente (42% en 2011 a 46% en 2018, p = 0,44). Se ofreció cirugía mínimamente invasiva al 70% de los pacientes del grupo urgente (1.058 / 1.515) y al 22,6% de las emergencias (159/704). En general, la cirugía mínimamente invasiva se utilizó cada vez más durante el período de estudio en grupos urgentes (38% en 2011 a 71% en 2018; p <0,0001) y emergentes (0% en 2005 a 42% en 2018; p <0,0001). En comparación con la cirugía mínimamente invasiva, la cirugía abierta se asoció con un mayor riesgo de complicaciones generales, quirúrgicas, sépticas y hospitalización prolongada.LIMITACIONES:Carácter retrospectivo del análisis.CONCLUSIÓNES:Basado en un análisis nacional de los Estados Unidos, la cirugía mínimamente invasiva se ha implementado de manera creciente y segura para las indicaciones emergentes y urgentes de la colitis ulcerosa. Si bien la suma de casos emergentes y urgentes permaneció igual durante el período de estudio, los casos de emergencia disminuyeron significativamente, lo que puede estar relacionado con mejores opciones de tratamiento médico y un enfoque de equipo colaborativo y especializado. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B847 . (Traducción-Dr. Felipe Bellolio ).

Validation of the Padova Prognostic Score for Colitis in Predicting Long-Term Outcome After Restorative Proctocolectomy

Background

In 10%–20% of cases it is impossible to make a differential diagnosis between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's colitis. A 50% failure rate of J pouch ilea-anal anastomosis is observed in Crohn's colitis. In 2009, we created the Padua Prognostic Score for Colitis (PPSC) to predict the long-term clinical and functional outcome and quality of life of patients undergoing restorative proctocolectomy with J pouch. The aim of the present study is to establish and validate the accuracy of a prognostic score for chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

Patient population and methods

The PPSC was created in 2009 by integrating clinical and histological information of patients undergoing RPC. It included preoperative perianal abscess or fistula, rectal sparing, terminal ileum involvement, skip lesions and histological diagnosis of indeterminate colitis or Crohn's colitis on the operative specimen. The validity of this score was tested in predicting postoperative abscess or fistula, anal canal disease, pouchitis, pouch failure and new diagnosis of Crohn's disease. Correlation analysis, ROC curve analysis and survival analysis were used to validate the PPSC in a different cohort from the previous one.

Results

We retrospectively enrolled in this study 138 consecutive patients undergoing CPR for ulcerative colitis (n = 127) or indeterminate colitis (n = 11) in our institution since 2005 to 2020. In this period, we observed 11 patients with postoperative abscess or fistula, 3 with anal canal disease, 40 with pouchitis, 6 with pouch failure and 6 with new diagnosis of Crohn's disease. In the new validation cohort, the PPSC confirmed to have a good accuracy in predicting the onset of postoperative CD (AUC = 74.5%, p = 0.018). Kaplan Meier curves demonstrate how a PPSC over 1 can reliably predicts the long-term onset of, pouchitis (p = 0.002) and anal abscess or fistulae (p = 0.04).

Conclusions

In this validation study we confirmed the accuracy of the PPSC in predicting postoperative fistulas or abscesses and pouchitis. Therefore, we believe that in clinical practice patients with a PPSC score greater than 1 should be warned of this risk of possible Crohn’s disease diagnosis and pouch failure.

Prospective Cohort Study to Investigate the Safety of Preoperative Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Exposure in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Undergoing Intra-abdominal Surgery

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Whether preoperative treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis) increases the risk of postoperative infectious complications remains controversial. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether preoperative exposure to TNFis is an independent risk factor for postoperative infectious complications within 30 days of surgery.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter prospective observational study of patients with IBD undergoing intra-abdominal surgery across 17 sites from the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation Clinical Research Alliance. Infectious complications were categorized as surgical site infections (SSIs) or non-SSIs. Current TNFi exposure was defined as use within 12 weeks of surgery, and serum was collected for drug-level analyses. Multivariable models for occurrence of the primary outcome, any infection, or SSI were adjusted by predefined covariates (age, sex, preoperative steroid use, and disease type), baseline variables significantly associated (P < .05) with any infection or SSI separately, and TNFi exposure status. Exploratory models used TNFi exposure based on serum drug concentration.

RESULTS

A total of 947 patients were enrolled from September 2014 through June 2017. Current TNFi exposure was reported by 382 patients. Any infection (18.1% vs 20.2%, P = .469) and SSI (12.0% vs 12.6%, P = .889) rates were similar in patients currently exposed to TNFis and those unexposed. In multivariable analysis, current TNFi exposure was not associated with any infection (odds ratio, 1.050; 95% confidence interval, 0.716-1.535) or SSI (odds ratio, 1.249; 95% confidence interval, 0.793-1.960). Detectable TNFi drug concentration was not associated with any infection or SSI.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative TNFi exposure was not associated with postoperative infectious complications in a large prospective multicenter cohort.

Laparoscopic vs open restorative proctectomy after total abdominal colectomy for ulcerative colitis or familial adenomatous polyposis

PURPOSE

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrated that a laparoscopic approach provides short-term benefits, such as reduced blood loss and a shorter hospital stay, in patients who undergo rectal surgery. On the other hand, a few RCTs investigating proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) for ulcerative colitis (UC) or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) suggested limited advantages of laparoscopic surgery over open surgery. A substantial proportion of patients with UC or FAP may undergo staged operations with IPAA, but no study has compared the two approaches for proctectomy with IPAA after total abdominal colectomy.

METHODS

We examined 61 consecutive patients with UC or FAP who underwent proctectomy with IPAA after colectomy in our hospital. Patients were divided into the Lap group (n = 37) or the Op group (n = 24) according to surgical approach. Patient background and outcomes, such as operative time, blood loss, first bowel movement, postoperative complications, and pouchitis, were compared between these groups.

RESULTS

One patient required conversion to open surgery in the Lap group. The median volume of blood loss was 90 mL in the Lap group and 580 mL in the Op group (p < 0.0001). The Lap group showed a shorter time to first bowel movement than the Op group (median: 1 vs 2 days, p = 0.0003). The operative time, frequencies of postoperative complications, and accumulation rate of pouchitis were similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic surgery was beneficial for patients undergoing restorative proctectomy in terms of blood loss and bowel recovery without increasing the operative time or rate of complications.

The use of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis in patients with ulcerative colitis from 2009 to 2018

AIM

The existing literature was updated, assessing the use of surgery in patients with ulcerative colitis in more recent years.

METHODS

This was a retrospective observational study identifying all patients with ulcerative colitis within the National Inpatient Sample, years 2009-2018. All patients with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revisions, Clinical Modification diagnostic codes for ulcerative colitis were included. The primary outcome was the trend in total number of total abdominal colectomy, proctocolectomy and simultaneous versus delayed pouch construction.

RESULTS

A total of 1 184 711 ulcerative-colitis-related admissions were identified. An increase of 18.6% in the number of patients was observed, while the number of surgeries decreased. A total of 40 499 patients underwent total colectomy, annually decreasing from 5241 to 3185. The number of proctocolectomies without pouch decreased from 1191 to 530, while the number of patients undergoing pouch construction decreased from 2225 to 1284. The proportion of patients undergoing initial pouch at time of proctocolectomy decreased from 995 (45%) to 265 (21%), while the proportion of patients undergoing delayed pouch construction in 2018 was 79% (n = 1120).

CONCLUSION

Surgery use in ulcerative colitis has decreased in the last decade despite increasing numbers of hospital admissions in patients with this condition. While the overall proportion of patients undergoing pouch construction remained stable, the majority of patients were initially treated with total colectomy and their ileal pouches werre constructed in a delayed fashion.

Acute Severe Colitis: The Need for Joint Management between Gastroenterologists and Surgeons

The management of hospitalized patients with acute, severe ulcerative colitis involves close coordination among a multidisciplinary team. For patients not improving on intravenous corticosteroids, surgical consultation should be sought. The remaining hospital course requires frequent communications between the gastroenterologist managing the medical aspects of care, and the colorectal surgeon involved in planning for potential surgery, to optimize patient outcomes. This comanagement includes joint decision-making around the timing of surgery, minimizing medications associated with postoperative morbidity, addressing nutritional and psychosocial aspects of the patient's condition, and planning for a coordinated postoperative course. In this review, we highlight these aspects of care and the need for coordination and communication between gastroenterologists and surgeons in the management of acute severe colitis.

Evaluation of a U.S. National Cohort to Determine Utilization in Colectomy Rates for Ulcerative Colitis Among Ethnicities

BACKGROUND

Colectomy is the curative management for ulcerative colitis (UC). Multiple studies have reported racial disparities for colectomy before the advent of anti-TNF alpha agents. The aim of this study was to describe racial and geographic differences in colectomy rates among hospitalized patients with UC after anti-TNF therapy was introduced.

METHODS

We examined all patients discharged from the hospital between 2010 and 2014 with a primary diagnosis of UC or of complications of UC. The data were evaluated for race and colectomy rates among the hospitalized patients with UC.

RESULTS

The unadjusted national colectomy rate among hospitalized patients with UC between 2010 and 2014 was 3.90 per 1000 hospitalization days (95% confidence interval, 3.72-4.08). The undajusted colectomy rates in African American (2.33 vs 4.35; P < 0.001) and Hispanic patients (3.99 vs 4.35; P ≤ 0.009) were considerably lower than those for White patients. After adjustment for confounders, the incidence rate ratio for African American as compared to White patients was 0.43 (95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.58; P < 0.001). Geographic region of the United States also showed significant variation in colectomy rates, with western regions having the highest rate (4.76 vs 3.20; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Racial and geographical disparities persist for the rate of colectomy among hospitalized patients with UC. The national database analysis reveals that colectomy rates for hospitalized African American and Hispanic patients were lower than those for White patients. Further studies are important to determine the social and biologic foundations of these disparities.

Anastomotic Leak after Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis

There are special considerations when treating anastomotic leak after restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. The epidemiology, risk factors, anatomic considerations, diagnosis and management, as well as the short- and long-term consequences to the patient are unique to this patent population. Additionally, there are specific concerns such as "tip of the J" leaks, transanal management of anastomotic leak/presacral sinus, functional outcomes after leak, and considerations of redo pouch procedures.

Does perioperative biological therapy increase 30-day post-operative complication rates in inflammatory bowel disease patients undergoing intra-abdominal surgery? A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Biopharmaceuticals revolutionised inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment. However, it is postulated they compromise immunity, collagen production and angiogenesis resulting in infective post-operative complications and altered wound/anastomotic healing. Research has failed to agree on risks associated with perioperative biologics therefore it was anticipated that a systematic review may provide a consensus and contribute recommendations for clinical practice.

METHODS

A systematic review conducted as per PRISMA guidelines included a methodical search of PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE/Ovid and Cochrane Library using MeSH and/or keywords for papers published between 01/01/1998 and 04/02/2019.The population analysed included adult ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, Indeterminate Colitis or IBD unclassified patients. The intervention was intra-abdominal surgery in patients treated with biological therapy in the preceding 12 weeks compared to patients who had intra-abdominal surgery without biological therapy within the defined timeframe. The primary outcome was surgical site infection (SSI) with secondary outcomes including wound dehiscence, intra-abdominal sepsis/abscess, systemic infection and anastomotic breakdown within 30 days post-procedure. Papers were evaluated by two independent reviewers and those included were assessed for quality/bias using the Newcastle-Ottowa scale.

RESULTS

2064 UC, Crohn's and IC patients were analysed across 8 included studies. Several studies' multivariate analyses demonstrated corticosteroids to be independent predictors of morbidity. There are no increased complications associated with anti-TNFα exposure while vedolizumab increased SSI and small bowel obstruction.

CONCLUSION

Prospective studies and randomised control trials are required to clarify study outcomes and recommendations published to date. Presently, biologics should continue to be used and considered beneficial in this population.

Perioperative safety of tofacitinib in surgical ulcerative colitis patients

AIM

The literature regarding monoclonal antibodies and increased postoperative complications in inflammatory bowel disease remains controversial. There have been no studies investigating tofacitinib. The aim of this work was to determine preoperative exposure to the small-molecule inhibitor tofacitinib and postoperative outcomes.

METHOD

We conducted a retrospective review of all adult patients exposed to tofacitinib within 4 weeks of total abdominal colectomy for medically refractory ulcerative colitis between 1 January 2018 and 1 September 2020 at four inflammatory bowel disease referral centres. Data collected included patient demographics and 90-day postoperative morbidity, readmission and reoperation rates.

RESULTS

Fifty-three patients (32 men, 60%) with ulcerative colitis underwent a total abdominal colectomy (n = 50 laparoscopic, 94%) for medically refractory disease. Previous exposure to monoclonal antibodies included infliximab (n = 34), adalimumab (n = 35), certolizumab pegol (n = 5), vedolizumab (n = 33) and ustekinumab (n = 10). Twenty-seven (51%) patients were on concurrent prednisone at a median daily dose of 30 mg by mouth (range 5-60 mg). There were no postoperative deaths. Ninety-day postoperative complications included ileus (n = 7, 13.2%), superficial surgical site infection (n = 4, 7.5%), intra-abdominal abscess (n = 2, 3.8%) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) (n = 7, 13.2%). Locations of VTE included portomesenteric venous thrombus (n = 4), internal iliac vein (n = 2) and pulmonary embolism (n = 1). Nine (17%) patients were readmitted to hospital and five (9%) patients had a reoperation.

CONCLUSION

Mirroring the recently issued US Food and Drug Administration black box warning of an increased risk of VTE in medically treated ulcerative colitis patients taking tofacitinib, preoperative tofacitinib exposure may present an increased risk of postoperative VTE events. Consideration should be given for prolonged VTE prophylaxis on hospital discharge.

Staged Approaches to Restorative Proctocolectomy with Ileoanal Pouch-When and Why?

Restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) with ileal pouch anal-anastomosis (IPAA) is commonly performed for patients with ulcerative colitis, familial adenomatous polyposis, and selected phenotypes of Crohn's disease (CD). Due to concerns about the effects of surgical complications on pouch functional outcomes, debate remains surrounding when and whether RPC with IPAA should be performed in a staged manner. Particularly debated are the timings of the IPAA, whether it is constructed at time of the proctocolectomy and whether to utilize temporary fecal diversion with a loop ileostomy. RPC with IPAA can be performed in one, two, or three stages, with each stage typically separated by 3-6 months. Proponents of a staged approach argue that poor pouch function, which is often a result of IPAA complications, including leak and infection, can be difficult to overcome and mandate additional, major surgeries, and that staging pouch creation and pairing with a protective ileostomy reduce those complications. However, subjecting patients to multiple surgeries and prolonging their time with an ileostomy present unique risks as well. Surgeons' experience and preference and patient characteristics need to be considered when determining operative planning. Highly selected patients with CD can be considered for RPC with IPAA, although with an acknowledgment of inherently higher pouch failure rates. Understanding the short- and long-term consequences of RPC with IPAA construction can help surgeons determine the appropriate approach.

Systematic review and meta-analysis: risks of postoperative complications with preoperative use of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha biologics in inflammatory bowel disease patients

OBJECTIVE

The preoperative use of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients undergoing surgery has been controversial due to concern for increased risks of postoperative complications. We aimed to determine the effect of preoperative anti-TNF therapy on postoperative complications in IBD patients undergoing abdominal surgery.

METHODS

A literature search of Google Scholar, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and CINAHL was performed through October 2019. Studies reporting postoperative complication rates of Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and IBD-unspecified patients with preoperative anti-TNF treatment undergoing abdominal surgery compared to controls without preoperative anti-TNF treatment were included. The main outcomes measured were overall, infectious, and noninfectious postoperative complications.

RESULTS

Forty-one studies totaling 20 274 patients were included. There was a significant increase in overall complications in all patients treated with anti-TNF vs. controls [odds ratio (OR) = 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01-1.25, P = 0.03, I2 = 6%] with an absolute risk increase (ARI) of 5.5% and a number needed to harm (NNH) of 18. There was also a significant increase in infectious complications in CD patients (OR = 1.44; 95% CI 1.02-2.03, P = 0.04, I2 = 49%, ARI = 5.5%, NNH = 20) only. Contrastingly, there was a significant increase in noninfectious complications in all patients (OR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.13-1.85, P = 0.003, I2 = 8%, ARI = 6.4%, NNH = 16) and UC patients (OR = 1.57, 95% CI 1.15-2.14, P = 0.005, I2 = 25%, ARI = 8.5%, NNH = 12) only.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative use of anti-TNF agents in IBD patients undergoing abdominal surgery is associated with increases in overall postoperative complications in all patients, infectious postoperative complications in CD patients, and noninfectious postoperative complications in UC patients.

The reduced risk of septic shock/sepsis with laparoscopic surgery among ulcerative colitis patients with preoperative chronic steroid use

BACKGROUND

Preoperative steroid use has been associated with worse surgical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether laparoscopic surgery reduces the risk of septic shock/sepsis among ulcerative colitis patients with preoperative chronic steroid use.

METHODS

Patients with ulcerative colitis undergoing a total abdominal colectomy were identified from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (2005-2019). Patients were stratified based on preoperative chronic steroid use and operative approach (open versus laparoscopic). The primary outcome was septic shock/sepsis. Multivariable regression models were used to assess the association between laparoscopic surgery and rates of septic shock/sepsis among steroid users and non-steroid users in both the elective and emergent settings.

RESULTS

Among 8,644 patients undergoing a total abdominal colectomy, 67.1% were steroid users and 32.9% were non-steroid users. Compared with an open approach, elective laparoscopic surgery was associated with lower rates of septic shock/sepsis, albeit with higher readmission rates for both steroid users (15.1% [laparoscopic] vs 12.0% [open], P = .005) and non-steroid users (12.6% [laparoscopic] vs 9.4% [open], P = .019). On adjusted analysis, ulcerative colitis patients with chronic steroid use undergoing an elective laparoscopic total abdominal colectomy demonstrated a reduced risk of septic shock/sepsis compared to open surgery (odds ratio 0.61, 95% confidence interval 0.49-0.76, P < .001). Similar findings were seen among chronic steroid users undergoing emergent laparoscopic procedures (odds ratio 0.54, 95% confidence interval 0.31-0.95, P = .031).

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic surgery was associated with a reduced risk of septic shock/sepsis among ulcerative colitis patients with preoperative chronic steroid use, suggesting that minimally invasive surgery may be a promising option among this unique patient population.

Exploring the Relationship between Biologics and Postoperative Surgical Morbidity in Ulcerative Colitis: A Review

BACKGROUND

With the paradigm shift related to the overspread use of biological agents in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), several questions emerged from the surgical perspective. Whether the use of biologicals would be associated with higher rates of postoperative complications in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients still remains controversial.

AIMS

We aimed to analyze the literature, searching for studies that correlated postoperative complications and preoperative exposure to biologics in UC patients, and synthesize these data qualitatively in order to check the possible impact of biologics on postoperative surgical morbidity in this population.

METHODS

Included studies were identified by electronic search in the PUBMED database according to the PRISMA (Preferred Items of Reports for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. The quality and bias assessments were performed by MINORS (methodological index for non-randomized studies) criteria for non-randomized studies.

RESULTS

608 studies were initially identified, 22 of which were selected for qualitative evaluation. From those, 19 studies (17 retrospective and two prospective) included preoperative anti-TNF. Seven described an increased risk of postoperative complications, and 12 showed no significant increase postoperative morbidity. Only three studies included surgical UC patients with previous use of vedolizumab, two retrospective and one prospective, all with no significant correlation between the drug and an increase in postoperative complication rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite conflicting results, most studies have not shown increased complication rates after abdominal surgical procedures in patients with UC with preoperative exposure to biologics. Further prospective studies are needed to better establish the impact of preoperative biologics and surgical complications in UC.

Increasing experience of modified two-stage transanal ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for therapy refractory ulcerative colitis. What have we learned? A retrospective analysis on 75 consecutive cases at a tertiary referral hospital

AIM

Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) should be delayed to a second stage in patients with ulcerative colitis and prolonged exposure to medical therapy. However, there is still discussion about whether a modified two-stage approach is preferable to a three-stage approach. Recently, a transanal approach has been introduced to overcome the well-known difficulties of laparoscopic pelvic surgery. This paper presents short-term outcomes of transanal IPAA (Ta-IPAA) according to a modified two-stage approach.

METHODS

Data from all patients who underwent a modified two-stage Ta-IPAA for ulcerative colitis refractory to medical therapy were retrieved retrospectively from a prospective database. A comprehensive complication index was used for 90-day postoperative complications. Conversion, duration of surgery, hospital stay and reoperation were considered. A logistic regression model was used to assess risk factors for peri-pouch sepsis.

RESULTS

Seventy-five (68.8%) patients were identified from 109 consecutive IPAAs. Median operation time was 159 min. Conversion rate was 4%. Mean comprehensive complication index was 7. All anastomotic leaks (10.6%) were treated with diverting ileostomy. Additionally, active rescue with transanal drainage and early resuturing of the anastomotic gap was performed in six patients. Ileostomy closure occurred after a median period of 5.4 months. At univariable analysis, factors associated with peri-pouch sepsis were male gender and age at IPAA construction.

CONCLUSIONS

A modified two-stage Ta-IPAA is safe and feasible. Standardization and reproducibility of the technique are reflected in few conversions and intra-operative complications. Finally, morbidity and anastomotic leak do not differ from those reported in previous Ta-IPAA series with a variable proportion of multistage procedures.

Risk of Postoperative Infectious Complications From Medical Therapies in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) medications on postoperative infection risk within 30 days of surgery.

METHODS

We searched multiple electronic databases and reference lists of articles dating up to August 2018 for prospective and retrospective studies comparing postoperative infection risk in patients treated with an IBD medication perioperatively with the risk in patients who were not taking that medication. Outcomes were overall infectious complications and intra-abdominal infections within 30 days of surgery.

RESULTS

Sixty-three studies were included. Overall infectious complications were increased in patients who received anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents (odds ratio [OR] 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.50) and corticosteroids (OR 1.34; 95% CI, 1.25-1.44) and decreased in those who received 5-aminosalicylic acid (OR 0.63; 95% CI, 0.46-0.87). No difference was observed in those treated with immunomodulators (OR 1.08; 95% CI, 0.94-1.25) or anti-integrin agents (OR 1.06; 95% CI, 0.67-1.69). Both corticosteroids and anti-TNF agents were associated with increased intra-abdominal infection risk (OR 1.63; 95% CI, 1.33-2.00 and OR 1.46; 95% CI, 1.08-1.97, respectively), whereas no impact was observed with 5-aminosalicylates, immunomodulators, or anti-integrin therapy. Twenty-two studies had low risk of bias while the remaining studies had very high risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Corticosteroids and anti-TNF agents were associated with increased overall postoperative infection risk as well as intra-abdominal infection in IBD patients, whereas no increased risk was observed for immunomodulators or anti-integrin therapy. Although these results may result from residual confounding rather than from a true biological effect, prospective studies that control for potential confounding factors are required to generate higher-quality evidence.

Risk of postoperative infectious complications from medical therapies in inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND

Medications used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have significantly improved patient outcomes and delayed time to surgery. However, some of these therapies are recognized to increase the general risk of infection and have an unclear impact on postoperative infection risk.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the impact of perioperative IBD medications on the risk of postoperative infections within 30 days of surgery.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane IBD Group's Specialized Register (29 October 2019), MEDLINE (January 1966 to October 2019), Embase (January 1985 to October 2019), the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform from inception up to October 2019, and reference lists of articles.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomized controlled trials, quasi-randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, prospective cohort studies, retrospective cohort studies, case-control studies and cross-sectional studies comparing participants treated with an IBD medication preoperatively or within 30 days postoperatively to those who were not taking that medication (either another active medication, placebo, or no treatment). We included published study reports and abstracts.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently screened titles and abstracts and extracted data. The primary outcome was postoperative infection within 30 days of surgery. Secondary outcomes included incisional infections and wound dehiscence, intra-abdominal infectious complications and extra-abdominal infections. Three review authors assessed risks of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We contacted authors for additional information when data were missing. For the primary and secondary outcomes, we calculated odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) using the generic inverse variance method. When applicable, we analyzed adjusted and unadjusted data separately. We evaluated the certainty of the evidence using GRADE.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 68 observational cohort studies (total number of participants unknown because some studies did not report the number of participants). Of these, 48 studies reported including participants with Crohn's disease, 36 reported including participants with ulcerative colitis and five reported including participants with indeterminate colitis. All 42 studies that reported urgency of surgery included elective surgeries, with 31 (74%) of those also including emergency surgeries. Twenty-four studies had low risk of bias while the rest had very high risk. Based on pooling of adjusted data, we calculated ORs for postoperative total infection rates in participants who received corticosteroids (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.38 to 2.09; low-certainty evidence), immunomodulators (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.76; low-certainty evidence), anti-TNF agents (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.20 to 2.13; very low-certainty evidence) and anti-integrin agents (OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.36; low-certainty evidence). We pooled unadjusted data to assess postoperative total infection rates for the use of aminosalicylates (5-ASA) (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.14; very low-certainty evidence). One secondary outcome examined was wound-related complications in participants using: corticosteroids (OR 1.41, 95% CI 0.72 to 2.74; very low-certainty evidence), immunomodulators (OR 1.35, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.89; very low-certainty evidence), anti-TNF agents (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.68; very low-certainty evidence) and anti-integrin agents (OR 1.64, 95% CI 0.77 to 3.50; very low-certainty evidence) compared to controls. Another secondary outcome examined the odds of postoperative intra-abdominal infections in participants using: corticosteroids (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.84; very low-certainty evidence), 5-ASA (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.33; very low-certainty evidence), immunomodulators (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.12; very low-certainty evidence), anti-TNF agents (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.82; very low-certainty evidence) and anti-integrin agents (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.14 to 1.20; very low-certainty evidence) compared to controls. Lastly we checked the odds for extra-abdominal infections in participants using: corticosteroids (OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.55; very low-certainty evidence), immunomodulators (OR 1.17, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.71; very low-certainty evidence), anti-TNF agents (OR 1.34, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.87; very low-certainty evidence) and anti-integrin agents (OR 1.15, 95% CI 0.43 to 3.08; very low-certainty evidence) compared to controls.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

The evidence for corticosteroids, 5-ASA, immunomodulators, anti-TNF medications and anti-integrin medications was of low or very low certainty. The impact of these medications on postoperative infectious complications is uncertain and we can draw no firm conclusions about their safety in the perioperative period. Decisions on preoperative IBD medications should be tailored to each person's unique circumstances. Future studies should focus on controlling for potential confounding factors to generate higher-quality evidence.

Ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease of unknown aetiology affecting the colon and rectum. Multiple factors, such as genetic background, environmental and luminal factors, and mucosal immune dysregulation, have been suggested to contribute to UC pathogenesis. UC has evolved into a global burden given its high incidence in developed countries and the substantial increase in incidence in developing countries. An improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying UC has led to the emergence of new treatments. Since the early 2000s, anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) treatment has significantly improved treatment outcomes. Advances in medical treatments have enabled a paradigm shift in treatment goals from symptomatic relief to endoscopic and histological healing to achieve better long-term outcomes and, consequently, diagnostic modalities have also been improved to monitor disease activity more tightly. Despite these improvements in patient care, a substantial proportion of patients, for example, those who are refractory to medical treatment or those who develop colitis-associated colorectal dysplasia or cancer, still require restorative proctocolectomy. The development of novel drugs and improvement of the treatment strategy by implementing personalized medicine are warranted to achieve optimal disease control. However, delineating the aetiology of UC is necessary to ultimately achieve disease cure.

Anti-TNF and Pouch Surgery for Ulcerative Colitis: The Ones who Blame for More Complications?

Since the approval in 2005 of anti-TNF drugs for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, concerns have been raised about the potential detrimental effect of these agents on postoperative infectious complications related to pouch surgery. Data on this topic are controversial and mostly derived from retrospective underpowered cohort studies largely affected by relevant bias. Three meta-analyses have been published with contradictory results. Moreover, the correlation between serum levels of infliximab at the time of surgery and the occurrence of septic postoperative complication is far to be proven and remains an answered research question. The construction of an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) as first surgical step in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) refractory to medical treatment seems to be associated with an increased risk of septic complications. Population-based data from the United States show a shift towards stage surgery for patients with refractory UC as a consequence of the widespread use of biological agents and the increased tendency to consider surgery as ultimate resort (step-up approach). In this setting, the classic 3-stage procedure (ileoanal pouch and diversion ileostomy after initial total colectomy) together with the modified 2-stage approach (ileoanal pouch without diversion ileostomy after initial total colectomy) are both effective options. Whether or not a diversion ileostomy could prevent pouch complications at the time of the pouch construction during the second stage of surgery is still a matter of debate. Emerging data seem to claim for increased risk of small bowel obstructions related to the presence of a stoma without proven effect on the prevention of anastomotic leak.

Implication of Medical Treatment for Surgical Strategies in IBD

Despite changing medical paradigm, still a significant proportion of patients with IBD require surgery. The patient's general condition, including nutritional status and the use of immunosuppressive medications is of great importance with regard to surgical complications, as well as the choice of optimal surgical strategy. The indication and the timing of surgery are key factors for the multidisciplinary management of IBD patients. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview on the impact of medical treatment on surgical strategies in IBD.

The impact of pre-operative biologic therapy on post-operative surgical outcomes in ulcerative colitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Biologic therapy has emerged as an effective modality amongst the medical treatment options available for ulcerative colitis (UC). However, its impact on post-operative care in patients with UC is still debatable. This review evaluates the risk of post-operative complications following biologic treatment in patients with UC.

METHODS

A systematic search of the relevant databases was conducted with the aim of identifying studies that compared the post-operative complication rates of UC patients who were either exposed or not exposed to a biologic therapy prior to their surgery. Outcomes of interest included both infection-related complications and overall surgical morbidity. Pooled odds-ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using Review Manager 5.3.

RESULTS

In all, 20 studies, reviewing a total of 12,494 patients with UC, were included in the meta-analysis. Of these, 2254 patients were exposed to a biologic therapy prior to surgery. The pooled ORs for infection-related complications (n = 8067) and overall complications (n = 11,869) were 0.98 (95% CI 0.66-1.45) and 1.14 (95% CI 1.04-1.28), respectively, which suggested that there was no significant association between the use of pre-operative biologic therapy and post-operative complications. Interestingly, the interval between the last dose of biologic therapy and surgery did not influence the risk of having a post-operative infection.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis suggests that pre-operative biologic therapy does not increase the overall risk of having post-operative infection-related or other complications. PROSPERO registration id-CRD42019141827.

Surgery for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Era of Biologics

INTRODUCTION

The advent of monoclonal antibody therapy for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease has greatly changed the multidisciplinary management of these patients, including surgical approaches. As an increasing number of inflammatory bowel disease patients are being medically managed with monoclonal antibody therapy or combination therapy with immunomodulators, more patients are coming to the operating room having been exposed to these medical therapies.

METHODS

A search of the relevant literature regarding monoclonal antibody therapy and postoperative outcomes was performed.

RESULTS

Significant controversy remains regarding the association between monoclonal antibodies and postoperative outcomes. Different classes of monoclonal antibodies may have different impacts on infectious complications. Operations for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis alter how we think about a change in care in the era of monoclonal antibodies.

CONCLUSION

In Crohn's disease, intestinal diversion may be considered in patient and disease specific scenarios and in ulcerative colitis, the use of a 3-stage approach to an ileal pouch is now more often used.

Association between preoperative tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitor and surgical site infection after surgery for inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitor (TNFi) treatment is effective for ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Although several meta-analyses have been performed to evaluate the association between TNFi treatment and surgical morbidity, the results are controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevention of surgical site infection (SSI) after surgery for UC and CD in patients on TNFis, based on literature published between January 2000 and May 2019 (registered on PROSPERO, No. CRD42019134156). Overall, 2175 UC patients in 13 observational studies (OBSs) and 7084 CD patients in 16 OBSs were included. The incidences of incisional (INC) SSI and organ/space (O/S) SSI after surgery for UC were 179/1985 (9.0%) and 176/2175 (8.1%), respectively. TNFi use was not associated with the incidences of INC SSI (odds ratio (OR) 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.47-2.32) or O/S SSI (OR 1.85, 95% CI (0.82-4.20)) after surgery for UC. The INC SSI and O/S SSI incidences after surgery for CD were 289/3089 (9.4%) and 526/7,084 (7.4%), respectively. Preoperative TNFi use was not associated with INC SSI (OR 0.98, 95% CI (0.52-1.83)) or O/S SSI incidence (OR 1.09, 95% CI (0.78-1.52)) after surgery for CD. We did not find a significant association between preoperative TNFi use and SSI in surgery for UC or CD.

Colectomy with ileostomy for severe ulcerative colitis-postoperative complications and risk factors

PURPOSE

In the era of biological therapy of ulcerative colitis (UC), surgical treatment frequently consists of colectomy, end ileostomy, and rectal stump closure before patients go on towards restorative proctocolectomy. We aimed to evaluate possible risk factors for the occurrence of postoperative complications and investigate those after initial colectomy in these patients.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of 180 patients (76 female, 104 male) undergoing colectomy for UC with formation of a rectal stump and terminal ileostomy between March 2008 and March 2018 at Charité University Hospital Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin. A panel of possible postoperative complications was established, patient history was screened, and postoperative complications were analyzed using the Clavien Dindo Classification.

RESULTS

Postoperative complication rate was 27.7%. Mortality was 0.5%. Postoperative ileus occurred in 15.3% and rectal stump leakage in 14.8%. Complications were categorized as Clavien Dindo 3 in 80%. Risk factors for surgical complications after multivariate analysis were ASA classification (p = 0.004), preoperative anemia (Hemoglobin < 8 mg/dl) (p = 0.025), use of immunosuppressants (p = 0.003), more than two cardiovascular diseases (p = 0.016), and peritonitis (p = 0.000). Reoperation rate of patients with surgical complications was 27.7%.

CONCLUSION

Colectomy in high-risk UC patients is associated with significant morbidity. However, most of the surgical complications can be treated conservatively. Overall mortality is low. Patient-related risk factors are associated with postoperative complications. Optimizing these risk factors or earlier indication for surgery in the course of UC may help to reduce morbidity of this procedure.

Up-to-date surgery for ulcerative colitis in the era of biologics

Introduction: In recent decades, biologics have resulted in significantly improved medical management of ulcerative colitis (UC). Rates of surgery for UC are declining. However, there is still a controversial question of the relation of biologics to postoperative adverse outcomes and the most appropriate timing for operative intervention.Areas covered: In this review, we explore the updated treatment algorithm of acute severe colitis, describe postoperative outcomes in patients exposed to biologics preoperatively, and discuss the primary indications for staging surgery in chronic refractory cases, largely with prolonged medical therapy.Expert opinion: Delaying pouch construction to when patients are in better health is suggested as a safer strategy over the long term. The surgical management of UC patients in the biologic era needs to be individualized, and a case-based multidisciplinary decision is critical for improved outcomes and a reduction of morbidity and mortality.

The ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Inflammatory Bowel Disease Collaborative: Design, Implementation, and Validation of a Disease-specific Module

BACKGROUND

Surgery for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involves a complex interplay between disease, surgery, and medications, exposing patients to increased risk of postoperative complications. Surgical best practices have been largely based on single-institution results and meta-analyses, with multicenter clinical data lacking. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (ACS-NSQIP) has revolutionized the way in which large-volume surgical outcomes data have been collected. Our aim was to employ the ACS-NSQIP to collect disease-specific variables relevant to surgical outcomes in IBD.

STUDY DESIGN

A collaborative of 13 high-volume IBD surgery centers was convened to collect 5 IBD-specific variables in NSQIP. Variables included biologic and immunomodulator medications usage, ileostomy utilization, ileal pouch anastomotic technique, and colonic dysplasia/neoplasia. A sample of the Surgical Clinical Reviewer collected data was validated by a colorectal surgeon at each institution, and kappa's agreement statistics generated.

RESULTS

Over 1 year, data were collected on a total of 956 cases. Overall, 41.4% of patients had taken a biologic agent in the 60 days before surgery. The 2 most commonly performed procedures were laparoscopic ileocolic resections (159 cases) and subtotal colectomies (151 cases). Overall, 56.8% of cases employed an ileostomy, and 134 ileal pouches were constructed, of which 92.4% used stapled technique. A sample of 214 (22.4%) consecutive cases was validated from 8 institutions. All 5 novel variables were shown to be reliably collected, with excellent agreement for 4 variables (kappa ≥ 0.70) and very good agreement for the presence of colonic dysplasia (kappa = 0.68).

CONCLUSION

We report the results of the initial year of implementation of the first disease-specific collaborative within NSQIP. The selected variables were demonstrated to be reliably collected, and this collaborative will facilitate high-quality, large case-volume research specific to the IBD patient population.

Biological Treatment and the Potential Risk of Adverse Postoperative Outcome in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An Open-Source Expert Panel Review of the Current Literature and Future Perspectives

Background

There is widespread concern that treatment with biologic agents may be associated with suboptimal postoperative outcome after surgery for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

Aim

We aimed to search and analyze the literature regarding the potential association of biologic treatment on adverse postoperative outcome in patients with IBD. We used the subject as a case in point for surgical research. The aim was not to conduct a new systematic review.

Method

This is an updated narrative review written in a collaborative method by authors invited through Twitter via the following hashtags (#OpenSourceResearch and #SoMe4Surgery). The manuscript was presented as slides on Twitter to allow discussion of each section of the paper sequentially. A Google document was created, which was shared across social media, and comments and edits were verified by the primary author to ensure accuracy and consistency.

Results

Forty-one collaborators responded to the invitation, and a total of 106 studies were identified that investigated the potential association of preoperative biological treatment on postoperative outcome in patients with IBD. Most of these studies were retrospective observational cohorts: 3 were prospective, 4 experimental, and 3 population-based studies. These studies were previously analyzed in 10 systematic/narrative reviews and 14 meta-analyses. Type of biologic agents, dose, drug concentration, antidrug antibodies, interval between last dose, and types of surgery varied widely among the studies. Adjustment for confounders and bias control ranged from good to very poor. Only 10 studies reported postoperative outcome according to Clavien–Dindo classification.

Conclusion

Although a large number of studies investigated the potential effect of biological treatment on postoperative outcomes, many reported divergent results. There is a need for randomized controlled trials. Future studies should focus on the avoiding the weakness of prior studies we identified. Seeking collaborators and sharing information via Twitter was integral to widening the contributors/authors and peer review for this article and was an effective method of collaboration.

Management of Biological Therapy Before Elective Inflammatory Bowel Disease Surgeries

Increasing uptake of biologic therapy has contributed to declining surgical rates for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, a significant number of patients on biologic therapy will go on to require surgery. The literature is conflicted with regard to the preoperative management of biologic therapy before urgent or elective IBD surgery. This article reviews the available data on postoperative complications following preoperative treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha therapy, anti-integrin therapy, and anti-interleukin therapy.

Postoperative Steroid Taper Is Associated With Pelvic Sepsis After Ileal Pouch-anal Anastomosis

OBJECTIVE

We hypothesized that postoperative oral steroid taper after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for inflammatory bowel disease would not be associated with pelvic septic complications.

BACKGROUND

Recent data has emphasized the possible association between biologic medication use and pelvic sepsis following ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. Limited contemporary data exist examining the effects of steroid use on these complications.

METHODS

Consecutive patients undergoing ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for inflammatory bowel disease at a single institution from January 2009 to December 2013 were included. Factors associated with anastomotic leak and pelvic sepsis were assessed using univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 686 patients were included (mean age 39.5 years, 59% males). Postoperative oral steroid taper was associated with both anastomotic leak and pelvic sepsis on univariate analysis. Stress dose intravenous steroid use was not associated with complications. Multivariate analysis indicated total proctocolectomy (odds ratio [OR] 2.2; confidence interval [CI] 1.01-4.7, P = 0.047), and postoperative oral steroid taper (OR 2.3; CI 1.06-5.1; P = 0.035) as independent factors significantly associated with pelvic sepsis.

CONCLUSIONS

Prolonged postoperative oral steroid taper after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis should be avoided. If preoperative steroid weaning is not possible before a planned total proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis, patients should undergo an initial total abdominal colectomy.

[Perioperative handling of immunosuppressive therapy]

Every year 16 million operations are performed in Germany. Many patients have an autoimmune disorder, for example rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis or chronic inflammatory bowel disease, which requires treatment. Immunosuppressants are widely applied. Physicians must make a risk-adapted decision whether the immunosuppressant medication can be continued perioperatively or if certain drugs must be paused and if so, with what risks. The handling of immunosuppressants during the perioperative period is very relevant as many patients, for example with rheumatoid arthritis are in need of a hip or knee replacement or patients with inflammatory bowel disease need an operation due to the chronic illness. The interruption of an immunosuppressant therapy should be discussed in an interdisciplinary board according to the underlying disease, because the continuation of immunosuppressants perioperatively can lead to an increased rate of complications, especially wound healing disorders. If a patient is on a glucocorticoid therapy the following must be considered: during the perioperative period the body has an increased demand for glucocorticoids due to the stress reaction. If glucocorticoids are administered in a dosage of more than 7.5 mg/day equivalent of prednisolone this stress reaction is inhibited. Thus, in these cases a perioperative substitution with hydrocortisone is recommended.