Crohn's disease of the colon, rectum, and anus

Can ileal pouch anal anastomosis be used in Crohn's disease?

Restorative proctocolectomy with IPAA is now accepted as the standard of care in most patients with a diagnosis of mucosal ulcerative or IndC requiring surgery. In patients with Crohn's colitis needing intervention, proctocolectomy with end ileostomy or subtotal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis is still the treatment of choice. In the authors' institution they consider performing an ileal pouch for a diagnosis of Crohn's colitis requiring rectal resection provided there is no existing or previous evidence of perianal or small bowel CD. They only perform this in a well-motivated patient who understands the potential sequelae, including an increased incidence of adverse effects and reduced functional outcome, if they develop CD of the pouch. A significant amount of time must be allocated to the patient and their family when counseling them with regards to the potential surgical options and outcomes associated with each. The development of CD of the pouch is associated with a considerable pouch failure rate requiring pouch excision or indefinite ileostomy formation. It does not always herald disaster, however, and a large percentage of patients can be salvaged using a combination of medical and surgical therapy. In this patient group the maintenance of intestinal continuity and avoidance of an ostomy is often the most important factor in their perception toward quality of life. The search for a serologic or genetic marker that will predict disease outcome in this select patient group and thereby direct surgical decision making should continue. It is recommended that in the presence of Crohn's colitis the decision to perform an ileal pouch should only be made in a tertiary center under the care of gastroenterologists, histopathologists, and colorectal surgeons with experience in the management of these complex cases.

Role of CT colonography in inflammatory bowel disease

CT colonography (CTC), or virtual colonoscopy, is a non-invasive imaging method that uses CT data sets combined with specialized imaging software to examine the colon. CTC is not used routinely in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, investigating contemporarily the colon, other abdominal organs and the peritoneum with CTC is at times useful in patients with IBD, especially when other diagnostic tools fail. Furthermore, since symptoms of colorectal cancer sometimes superimpose to those of inflammatory disease, it may happen to image patients with IBD incidentally. If clinical signs are suggestive for inflammatory disease, exam technique should be modified accordingly and distinguishing radiological findings searched for.

Laparoscopically Assisted Hemicolectomy for Crohn's Disease: Are we Still Getting Better?

The most common indications for laparoscopic surgery in Crohn's disease include ileocolic resection and right hemicolectomy. The aim of this study was to compare the results of right hemicolectomy in an early phase versus a later phase. Between August 1992 and October 1998 all patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for ileocolic resection and right hemicolectomy were divided into chronological groups: Group I = August 1992 to January 1996 and Group II = February 1996 to October 1998. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney test, Student t test, or Fisher's exact test. We identified 41 patients; 16 patients [eight females and eight males with an average age of 37.1 (range 20–59) years] were in Group I and 25 [16 females and nine males with an average age of 41.9 (range 15–74) years] were in Group II [ P = not significant (NS)]. Overall there were five (12%) intraoperative complications reported: two (12%) in Group I and three (12%) in Group II ( P = NS). Mean operative time was 149 (range 90–260) minutes in Group I versus 158 (range 100–285) minutes in Group II ( P = NS). Mean length of hospital stay was 7.4 (range 4–18) days in Group I and 6.6 (range 3–20) days in Group II ( P = NS). Four patients (25%) in Group I and seven (28%) in Group II had their procedures converted to laparotomy ( P = NS). In Group I four (25%) patients had surgery-related postoperative complications, one of which was wound related. One patient has an anastomotic leak whereas two had prolonged postoperative ileus. In Group II six (24%) patients had surgery-related complications, two of which were wound related, three were cases of prolonged postoperative ileus, and one was an anastomotic leak ( P = NS between Groups I and II). Perhaps as a result of the relative technical ease of right-sided resections or the nature of the disease the expected decrease in morbidity and conversion rate over time could not be shown.

Laparoscopic assisted surgery for Crohn's disease an initial experience and results

The inflammatory process associated with Crohn's disease often makes dissection difficult, even in open surgery. The aim of this study was to assess the technical feasibility, safety and indication of laparoscopic assisted procedures performed in patients with Crohn's disease. Records of patients undergoing surgical operation for Crohn's disease from 1993 to 1998 at our hospital were reviewed. Intestinal resection was performed laparoscopically in 24 patients (LAP) and by open technique in 23 patients(OPEN). No significant differences existed as to age, gender, body-mass-index and previous surgery. In the laparoscopic group, seven operations (CON) were converted to open laparotomy (29%) because of large inflammatory mass and/or fistula. The mean intraoperative blood loss was significantly higher in CON- and OPEN-groups than in LAP-group (P < 0.01). Major complications occurred only in one patient who underwent laparoscopic assisted high anterior resection. Patients who underwent laparoscopic operation tolerated p.o. liquids sooner than patients who underwent open surgery (median: 2 vs. 5 day, P < 0.05). Compared with the CON- and OPEN-groups, patients in LAP-group had lower analgesic requirements (median: 3 vs. 6 and 5 day, P < 0.01). The median postoperative length of stay was significantly shorter in LAP-group than in OPEN-group (median: 11 vs. 14 day, P < 0.05). Our study showed that LAP is technically feasible for Crohn's disease. The preoperative correct diagnosis and selection of indications are very important, because the laparoscopic mobilization and resection may be difficult or impossible in patients with large fixed masses, multiple complex fistulas, or recurrent Crohn's disease.

Surgical therapy for Crohn's disease of the colon and rectum

Crohn's disease remains incurable by either medical or surgical treatment. Both physician and surgeon must work together with the common objective of restoring health by eliminating or alleviating the complications of Crohn's disease. From the surgeon's viewpoint, operation is performed for complications of the disease or for failure of medical management. Although aggressive surgical excision of affected bowel rids the patient of disease for a period of time, the beneficial effects of operation have to be considered in the context that disease recurrence is always a possibility and that reoperation for such complications may be necessary. The aim of the surgeon is to deal with the current problem as simply as possible and to maintain a long-term, strategic view of the disease process with the understanding that what is done today may affect the patient for life.

Laparoscopic surgery in the management of inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND

The role of laparoscopic surgery in the treatment of various upper and lower gastrointestinal disorders is still under investigation. However, a variety of laparoscopic procedures may be applied in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We present our initial results of laparoscopic and laparoscopic-assisted management of IBD in 72 consecutive patients (37 women and 35 men; mean age 36 years, range 20 to 79). The indications for surgery included: terminal ileitis in 29 patients, mucosal ulcerative colitis in 23 patients, Crohn's colitis in 11 patients, severe perianal Crohn's disease in 4 patients, duodenal Crohn's disease in 3 patients, Crohn's rectovaginal fistula in 1 patient, and rectourethral fistula in 1 patient. The procedures performed included: total abdominal colectomy (TAC) in 30 patients (22 with total proctocolectomy with ileoanal reservoir, 6 with TAC with ileorectal anastomosis, and 2 with TAC with end ileostomy), ileocolic resection in 30 patients, diverting loop ileostomy in 6 patients, closure of an end ileostomy as an ileorectal anastomosis in 3 patients who already underwent a TAC with end ileostomy, and duodenal bypass gastrojejunostomy in 3 patients.

RESULTS

There were 16 complications in 13 (18%) patients: 3 enterotomies, 4 episodes of bleeding, 3 pelvic abscesses, 2 intestinal obstructions, 2 prolonged ileus, 1 anastomotic leak, and 1 efferent loop obstruction after gastrojejunostomy. However, only 3 patients required laparotomy for morbidity, and there was no mortality. In 7 (10%) patients, the laparoscopic procedure was converted to a laparotomy due to a large inflammatory mass with fistula in 4 patients, bleeding in 2 patients, and an enterotomy in 1 patient. The mean operating time was 2.9 hours (range 0.7 to 6) and the mean length of hospital stay was 6.5 days (range 3 to 19). When compared with ileocolic resection, total colectomy was associated with higher morbidity (30% versus 10%, P < 0.05) and longer hospitalization (8.7 days [range 4 to 19] versus 5.2 days [range 3 to 7], respectively; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

According to this initial experience, laparoscopic surgery is a versatile and effective modality in the surgical management of inflammatory bowel disease in selected patients. However, laparoscopic total colectomy is associated with higher morbidity when compared with ileocolic resection.

Rectal squamous mucosectomy and ileal anal pull-through procedures: single surgeon experience in 105 patients

BACKGROUND

The ileal anal pull-through procedure has become the most frequently used cointinence sparing procedure for patients with ulcerative colitis or familial polyposis. Areas of controversy concern the use of temporary ileostomies, and the extent of the rectal mucosectomy. The current report presents a single surgeon's experience with mucosectomy to the perianal skin (squamous mucosectomy), with ileal J-pouch reservoir construction and temporary ileostomy.

METHODS

We reviewed the records of 105 consecutive patients undergoing this procedure by a single surgeon during a 5-year period. One hundred percent follow-up was achieved.

RESULTS

There was 100% gross fecal continence, with 5% of patients expressing rare day time leakage, and 28% having intermittent nocturnal leakage. There were no instances of pelvic sepsis, and no pouches have been removed. The diverting ileostomy was associated with 6% morbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the rectal mucosectomy can be safely extended to the levels of perianal skin with no loss in continence or function. We recommend that this be adopted as the standard for this procedure to ensure complete eradication of the underlying pathologic condition.