Are complications of subtotal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis related to the original disease?

The aim of this study was to compare the morbidity of subtotal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis performed for colonic inertia, Crohn's disease, familial adenomatous polyposis, and colorectal neoplasia. A retrospective review of all patients who underwent elective colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis between June 1988 and November 1996 was performed. The patients were divided into three groups: Group I, colonic inertia; Group II, Crohn's disease; and Group III, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis or other neoplasia. Outcome factors studied included the frequency of bowel movements, the incidence of small bowel obstruction, and the incidence of anastomotic leakage. Other factors assessed included operative time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospitalization, level of ileorectal anastomosis, time of first bowel movement, and whether the operation was undertaken in one or two stages. Statistical analysis was undertaken by using the chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U exact test. All 48 patients in Group I were operated on in one stage. In Group II (30 patients) 15 patients were operated on in one stage, eight patients had a preliminary Hartmann's operation and then ileorectal anastomosis, and seven patients underwent subtotal colectomy with both an ileorectal anastomosis and a proximal loop ileostomy. In Group III (22 patients) 20 patients underwent a one-stage operation whereas two patients underwent a subtotal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis and proximal loop ileostomy. The median ages were 47.0 years in Group I, 43.8 in Group II, and 53.3 in Group III. Small bowel obstruction occurred in five patients (10%) in Group I, four patients (13.3%) in Group II, and four patients (18%) in Group III. The anastomotic leak rate was 4.2% (two patients) in Group I, 1% (three patients) in Group II, and 0% in Group III (P < 0.05). At the follow up interview after surgery, the mean number of bowel movements per day 6 months after surgery was 5.4 in Group I, 7.2 in Group II, and 5.6 in Group III, (P < 0.05, Group II vs Group I or Group III). Operative time in Group III was significantly longer than in the other two groups (P = 0.004). No statistically significant differences were found among the three groups relative to blood loss, hospitalization, or timing of first bowel movement. This study failed to identify any differences in either immediate perioperative outcome or morbidity or intermediate-term function in patients undergoing ileorectal anastomosis regardless of diagnosis. The overall rate of small bowel obstruction was 13 per cent with no significant differences among the three groups. Lastly although the anastomotic leak rate was not significantly higher in patients with Crohn's disease it was higher in the group with ileostomy and ileorectal anastomosis, which highlights a potential advantage of performance of this procedure in two stages in selected patients of this patient population.

Laparoscopic colectomy yields similar morbidity and disability regardless of patient age.

This study compared the outcome factors of morbidity and the length of disability in older and younger patients following laparoscopic colorectal surgery. All patients undergoing laparoscopic segmental resection during the study period were included. Morbidity was determined by reviewing the medical records, and disability by a patient-administered questionnaire. The series was divided into two age cohorts (/=65 years), which did not differ significantly in gender or type of procedure. Between these two groups we found no significant differences in mean duration of ileus (3.3 days in both groups), the mean length of hospitalization (5.7 vs. 6.3 days, respectively), morbidity rate (18% vs. 21%), or time until returning to partial activity (1.6 vs. 1.6 weeks) or to full activity (3 vs. 2 weeks). Our findings demonstrate that neither the morbidity rate nor the disability period after laparoscopic techniques differ between elderly and younger patients. We therefore endorse the use of laparoscopy regardless of patient age.

Selective preservation of the anal transition zone in ileoanal pouch procedures.

PURPOSE: A prospective trial was conducted to evaluate use of certain preoperative criteria in the choice of operative technique for ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA). Handsewn vs. stapled anastomotic techniques were compared as was preservation vs. excision of the anal transition zone (ATZ). METHODS: Over an 18-month period, 40 consecutive patients underwent restorative proctocolectomy with IPAA for ulcerative colitis (31 cases) or familial adenomatous polyposis (9 cases). In 28 patients, ATZ was completely excised, by either a transanal mucosectomy with handsewn anastomosis (Group I, 13 cases) or by double-stapled technique (Group II, 15 cases). The ATZ was preserved and the anastomosis was double-stapled in colitis patients with suboptimum sphincter function and/or greater than 50 years of age in the absence of dysplasia or severe distal proctitis (Group III, 12 cases). RESULTS: Groups I and II patients were homogeneous in their preoperative variables and had equivalent functional outcome. Group III patients were older (P = 0.0001), with weaker preoperative anal sphincter resting tone (P = 0.024). Compared with Groups I and II, patients in Group III had significantly greater 24-hour stool frequency (P = 0.0056), daytime stool frequency (P = 0.0125), and incidence of daytime fecal seepage (P = 0.007). There was no significant difference in other outcome variables in Group III patients. There was no difference in morbidity in the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Transanal mucosectomy with handsewn anastomosis provided early functional results equivalent to low anal transection with double-stapled IPAA in younger patients with excellent preoperative sphincter function. A double-stapled technique with preservation of the ATZ may be reserved for older patients, with poorer anal sphincter function, at minimum dysplasia/cancer risk, to optimize continence figures.

Late pain-related magnetic fields and electric potentials evoked by intracutaneous electric finger stimulation.

Surface magnetic and electric recordings were used to localize the sources of late pain-related magnetic fields and electric potentials, evoked by painful intracutaneous electric finger stimulation. We find that the source of the P90m component of the evoked magnetic field lies in the finger area of the primary somatosensory cortex; the sources of the N150m and P250m are found to reside in the frontal operculum. These findings are unexpected from the evoked electric potential data, which suggest a central location for these sources. We also note that the interpretation of the electric data was confounded by the presence of an alpha-like oscillation, which overlapped many components of the evoked potential.