Safety and Efficacy of Inpatient Infliximab Rescue Therapy for Acute Crohn's Disease Flares.

PURPOSE: Describe the safety, complications, and need for urgent surgery in patients requiring inpatient rescue infliximab for acute Crohn's disease (CD) flare. BACKGROUND: Infliximab is increasingly used for patients hospitalized with acute severe ulcerative colitis as rescue therapy; however, optimal management for patients hospitalized for CD flares remains unclear. METHODS: A single-institution retrospective study of patients aged 18+ admitted from 2008 to 2020 with acute Crohn's flare requiring induction of rescue infliximab therapy. Outcomes included postoperative and medication-related complications and need for urgent surgery. RESULTS: 52 patients were included in analysis; 8% required surgery on index admission, and 19% required surgery within 90 days of infliximab. Postoperative complications included 1 anastomotic leak, 3 superficial wound infections, 3 prolonged ileus, and 1 urinary infection. There were no adverse reactions to infliximab infusion, and medical complication rates were low. Patients with penetrating disease were more likely to undergo surgery within 90 days of infliximab (43% vs 8%; P = .01). Mean LOS was longer for patients undergoing surgery within 90 days of therapy compared to those who did not (13.4 vs 8.3 days, P = .04). CONCLUSION: Inpatient rescue infliximab is safe for treating acute Crohn's disease flare in addition to standard steroid therapy. The majority of patients hospitalized with Crohn's flare requiring rescue infliximab avoided surgery with low postoperative and medication-related complications. More research is needed to clarify the optimal rescue infliximab therapy dosage.

Mental health disorders as a risk factor in young patients with rectal prolapse.

BACKGROUND: Rectal prolapse (RP) typically presents in the elderly, though it can present in younger patients lacking traditional risk factors. The current study compares medical and mental health history, presentation, and outcomes for young and older patients with RP. METHODS: This is a single-center retrospective review of patients who underwent abdominal repair of RP between 2005 and 2019. Individuals were dichotomized into two groups based on age greater or less than 40 years. RESULTS: Of 156 patients, 25 were < 40. Younger patients had higher rates of diagnosed mental health disorders (80% vs 41%, p < 0.001), more likely to take SSRIs (p = .02), SNRIs (p = .021), anxiolytics (p = 0.033), and antipsychotics (p < 0.001). Younger patients had lower preoperative incontinence but higher constipation. Both groups had low rates of recurrence (9.1% vs 11.6%, p = 0.73). CONCLUSIONS: Young patients with RP present with higher concomitant mental health diagnoses and represent unique risk factors characterized by chronic straining compared to pelvic floor laxity.

United States-Based Colorectal Cancer Surgical Trials Lack Representation and Adequate Reporting of Racially and Ethnically Diverse Participants: Systematic Review and Regression Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Despite the established National Institute of Health Revitalization Act, which aims to include ethnic and racial minority representation in surgical trials, racial and ethnic enrollment disparities persist. OBJECTIVE: To assess the proportion of patients from minority races and ethnicities that are included in colorectal cancer surgical trials and reporting characteristics. DATA SOURCES: Search was performed using MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central. STUDY SELECTION: Inclusion criteria included 1) trials performed in the United States between January 1, 2000, and May 30, 2022; 2) patients with colorectal cancer diagnosis; and 3) surgical intervention, technique, or postoperative outcome. Trials evaluating chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or other nonsurgical interventions were excluded. INTERVENTIONS: Pooled proportion and regression analysis was performed to identify the proportion of patients by race and ethnicity included in surgical trials and the association of year of publication and funding source. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of trials reporting race and ethnicity and proportion of participants by race and ethnicity included in surgical trials. RESULTS: We screened 10,673 unique publications, of which 80 were examined in full text. Fifteen studies met our inclusion criteria. Ten (66.7%) trials did not report race, 3 reported races as a proportion of White participants only, and 3 reported 3 or more races. There was no description of ethnicity in 11 (73.3%) trials, with 2 describing "non-Caucasian" as ethnicity and 2 describing only Hispanic ethnicity. Pooled proportion of White participants was 81.3%, of Black participants was 6.2%, of Asian participants was 3.6%, and of Hispanic participants was 3.5%. LIMITATIONS: A small number of studies was identified that reported racial or ethnic characteristics of their participants. CONCLUSIONS: Both race and ethnicity are severely underreported in colorectal cancer surgical trials. To improve outcomes and ensure the inclusion of vulnerable populations in innovative technologies and novel treatments, reporting must be closely monitored.

Role of Age as a Predictor of Major Complications After Elective Surgery for Ulcerative Colitis.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) in the elderly population is increasing. The aim of this study was to assess the degree to which age and other factors increase the risk of developing major complications in patients undergoing elective surgery for UC. METHODS: Using the ACS-NSQIP database from 2016 to 2020, patients undergoing elective surgery for UC were divided into four categories: younger than 30, 30-49, 50-69, and 70 or older. A composite outcome was created including major complications and multivariable analysis was performed to identify factors associated with composite major complications. RESULTS: 5946 patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis who underwent elective surgery were included in the analysis. 14.1% of all patients developed a major complication. For patients with UC, factors associated with the development of a major complication were age 50-69 (OR 1.31, P = .034), male sex (OR 1.38, P < .001), Black race (OR 1.47, P = .049), dependent status (OR 2.06, P = .028), hypoalbuminemia (OR 1.92, P < .001), preoperative steroid treatment (OR 1.27, P = .038), preoperative transfusion (OR 1.91, P < .001), open surgical approach (OR 1.44, P = .002), and partial colectomy (OR 1.51, P = .007). Specifically in patients aged 70 or older, hypoalbuminemia (OR 3.20, P < .001) and preoperative transfusion (OR 2.78, P = .019) were associated with a major complication. CONCLUSION: Age is a risk factor for the development of a major complication in UC patients undergoing elective surgery. However, it is not the only risk factor nor is it the one that increases the risk the most.

Outcomes Following Recent and Distant Neoadjuvant Radiation in Rectal Cancer: An Institutional Retrospective Review and Analysis of NSQIP.

BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) is the standard of care in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). However, radiation therapy is thought to increase operative difficulty due to induction of fibrosis. Total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) protocols increase the time between completion of radiation and surgical resection which may lead to increased operative difficulty and complications. METHODS: A single institution retrospective review of patients ≥18 years with LARC undergoing nCRT from 2015 to 2022. Patients were dichotomized in 2 cohorts: <90 days from radiation to surgery (recent radiation), and ≥90 days from radiation to surgery (distant radiation). Institutional data was compared to National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) rectal cancer data from 2016 to 2020. Outcomes included intraoperative complications, 30-day morbidity, and oncologic outcomes. RESULTS: One hundred forty-six institutional patients included, 120 had recent radiation, 26 had distant radiation. Thirty-day morbidity and intraoperative complications did not differ. There was greater radial margin positivity (7% vs. 24%), fewer lymph nodes harvested (17 ± 5 vs. 15 ± 6), and a lower rate of complete mesorectal dissection (88% vs. 65%,) in distant radiation patients 3059 patients were included in NSQIP analysis, 2029 completed radiation <90 days before surgery and 1030 without radiation 90 days before surgery. Patients without radiation 90 days preoperatively had more radial margin positivity (9.2% vs. 4.6%), organ space infection (8.6% vs. 6.4%), and pneumonia (2.2% vs. 0.9%). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that increased time between radiation and surgery results in more challenging dissection with less complete mesorectal dissection and increased radial margin positivity without increasing technical complications.

Magnetic resonance imaging accuracy in staging early and locally advanced rectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the standard pretreatment staging in patients with rectal cancer. Accurate tumor staging is paramount to determining the appropriate treatment course for patients diagnosed with rectal cancer. The current study aims to re-evaluate the accuracy of pre-operative MRI in staging of both early and locally advanced rectal cancer following completion of neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) compared to the pathologic stage. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients treated for rectal cancer between 2015 and 2020 at a single academic institution. All patients underwent rectal cancer protocol MRIs before surgical resection. Analysis was carried out in two groups: early rectal cancer: T1/2 N0 tumors with upfront surgical resection (N = 40); and locally advanced disease: T3 or greater or N+ disease receiving NAT, with restaging MRI following NAT (n = 63). RESULTS: 103 patients were included in analysis. MRI accuracy in early tumors was 35% ICC = 0.52 (95% CI 0.25-0.71) T stage and 66% ICC = 0 (95% CI -0.24, 0.29) for 29 patients with nodal data for N stage. There was 28% understaging of T2 tumors and 34% understaging of N0 stage by MRI. Post NAT MRI had 44% accuracy ICC = 0.57 (95% CI -0.15-0.20) T stage and 60% accuracy ICC = 0.32 (95% CI 0.08-0.52) N stage. Tumor invasion was overstaged on MRI: 40% T2, 29% T3, 90% T4. Nodal inaccuracy was due to overstaging, 61% N1, 90% N2. CONCLUSIONS: In locally advanced rectal cancer MRI overstaged tumors, this could be due to the continued effect of NAT from MRI to resection. This overstaging is of little clinical significance as it doesn't alter the treatment plan, except in cases of complete clinical response. In early rectal cancer, MRI had limited accuracy compared to pathology, understaging a quarter of patients who would benefit from NAT before surgery. Other adjunct imaging modalities should be considered to improve accuracy in staging early rectal cancer and consideration of complete response and enrollment in watch and wait protocols.

Impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced colon cancer on postoperative complications.

PURPOSE: Although not considered standard therapy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is an encouraging alternative for selected patients with locally advanced colon cancer (LAC). The aim of this study was to compare 30-day postoperative outcomes between patients undergoing upfront surgery and those undergoing NAC for LAC. METHODS: Using the ACS-NSQIP data from 2016 to 2020, 11,498 patients with LAC were divided into those who underwent upfront colectomy (96.2%) and those who received NAC (3.8%). The primary outcome was a composite outcome encompassing 30-day major postoperative complications. Propensity score matched (PSM) analysis and multivariable logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: After PSM analysis, there was no statistically significant difference in the development of a major complication. NAC was not significantly associated with the primary outcome. Risk factors for postoperative complications were T4 stage, older age, male sex, black race, smoking, dependent status, severe COPD, hypoalbuminemia, and preoperative transfusion. Laparoscopic and robotic surgery was protective. CONCLUSION: NAC did not increase the odds of developing a major complication.

Early C-reactive protein after colorectal surgery is not predictive of anastomotic leak: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Prior studies suggest postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) trends are sensitive for predicting anastomotic leak (AL) after elective colorectal surgery. However, in the setting of enhanced recovery pathways, multi-day CRP trends may not be feasible. This study aimed to assess the realistic and clinical utility of CRP in prediction of AL. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients who underwent elective colectomy or proctectomy from January 2019 to October 2020 at a single institution was performed. Comorbidities, operative characteristics, and perioperative outcomes were recorded. CRP was checked routinely on POD1 and on a clinical basis subsequently. The association between 10-point change in CRP-POD1 and AL was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. The relationships between CRP-POD3, CRP-POD1, and AL were assessed using exploratory analyses. RESULTS: Among 332 patients, 23 (6.9%) developed AL, of which 9 cases (39%) were diagnosed upon readmission. AL was not associated with mortality. Median length of stay was 3 days (IQR 2-5). Median days to AL diagnosis was 7 (IQR 4-15). Adjusting for diverting stoma, steroid use, diagnosis, and open surgery, each 10-point increase in CRP was associated with increased odds of AL (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03-1.21, p=0.008). CRP-POD1 had poor discriminant utility for detecting AL (AUC 0.62, 95% CI = 0.494-0.746; p=0.061). CONCLUSION: CRP on POD1 is not a reliable method to predict a leak, and trending CRP may not be practical with decreasing lengths of stay in colorectal surgery.

Impact of National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer guidelines on surgical margin status.

BACKGROUND: The American College of Surgeons established the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) to standardize rectal cancer care. We sought to assess the impact of NAPRC guidelines at a tertiary care center on surgical margin status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Institutional NSQIP database was queried for patients with rectal adenocarcinoma undergoing surgery for curative intent two years prior to and following implementation of NAPRC guidelines. Primary outcome was surgical margin status before (pre-NAPRC) versus after (post-NAPRC) implementation of NAPRC guidelines. RESULTS: Surgical pathology in five (5%) pre-NAPRC and seven (8%) post-NAPRC patients had positive radial margins (p = 0.59); distal margins were positive in three (3%) post-NAPRC and six (7%) post-NAPRC patients (p = 0.37). Local recurrence was observed in seven (6%) pre-NAPRC patients, there were no recurrences to date in post-NAPRC patients (p = 0.15). Metastasis was observed in 18 (17%) pre-NAPRC patients and four (4%) post-NAPRC patients (p = 0.55). CONCLUSION: NAPRC implementation was not associated with a change in surgical margin status for rectal cancer at our institution. However, the NAPRC guidelines formalize evidence-based rectal cancer care and we anticipate that improvements will be greatest in low-volume hospitals which may not utilize multidisciplinary collaboration.

High Complication Rate After Early Ileostomy Closure: Early Termination of the Short Versus Long Interval to Loop Ileostomy Reversal After Pouch Surgery Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: In patients with ulcerative colitis who undergo IPAA, a diverting ileostomy is used to diminish the severity of anastomotic complications. Typically, the ileostomy is closed after an interval of 2 to 4 months. The safety of earlier closure of the ileostomy after pouch surgery is unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare postoperative outcomes in patients randomly assigned to early (7-12 days) or late (≥8 weeks) ileostomy closure after ileal pouch construction. DESIGN: This was a multicenter, prospective randomized trial. SETTING: The study was conducted at colorectal surgical units at select United States hospitals. PATIENTS: Adults with ulcerative colitis who underwent 2- or 3-stage proctocolectomy with IPAA were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes included Comprehensive Complication Index at 30 days after ileostomy closure. The secondary outcomes included complications, severe complications, reoperations, and readmissions within 30 days of ileostomy closure. RESULTS: The trial was stopped after interim analysis because of a high rate of complications after early ileostomy closure. Among 36 patients analyzed, 1 patient (3%) had unplanned proctectomy with end-ileostomy. Of the remaining 35 patients, 28 patients (80%) were clinically eligible for early closure and underwent radiologic assessment. There were 3 radiologic failures. Of the 25 remaining patients, 22 patients (88%) were randomly assigned to early closure (n = 10) or late closure (n = 12), and 3 patients were excluded. Median Comprehensive Complication Index was 14.8 (0-54) and 0 (0-23) after early and late closure (p = 0.02). One or more complications occurred in 7 patients (70%) after early closure and in 2 patients (17%) after late closure (p = 0.01)' and complications were severe in 3 patients (30%) after early closure and 0 patients after late closure (p = 0.04). Reoperation was required in 1 patient (10%) and 0 patients (p = 0.26) after early closure and readmission was required in 7 patients (70%) and 1 patient (8%) after late closure (p = 0.003). LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by early study closure and selection bias. CONCLUSIONS: Early closure of a diverting ileostomy in patients with ulcerative colitis who underwent IPAA is associated with an unacceptably high rate of complications. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/C68. ALTA TASA DE COMPLICACIONES DESPUS DEL CIERRE PRECOZ DE LA ILEOSTOMA TERMINACIN TEMPRANA DEL ENSAYO ALEATORIZADO DE INTERVALO CORTO VERSUS LARGO PARA LA REVERSIN DE LA ILEOSTOMA EN ASA DESPUS DE LA CIRUGA DE RESERVORIO ILEAL: ANTECEDENTES:En los pacientes con colitis ulcerosa que se someten a una anastomosis del reservorio ileoanal, se utiliza una ileostomía de derivación para disminuir la gravedad de las complicaciones de la anastomosis. Por lo general, la ileostomía se cierra después de un intervalo de 2 a 4 meses. Se desconoce la seguridad del cierre más temprano de la ileostomía después de la cirugía de reservorio.OBJETIVO:Comparar los resultados posoperatorios en pacientes asignados al azar al cierre temprano (7-12 días) o tardío (≥ 8 semanas) de la ileostomía después de la construcción de un reservorio ileal.DISEÑO:Este fue un ensayo aleatorizado prospectivo multicéntrico.ESCENARIO:El estudio se realizó en unidades quirúrgicas colorrectales en hospitales seleccionados de los Estados Unidos.PACIENTES:Se incluyeron adultos con colitis ulcerosa que se sometieron a proctocolectomía en 2 o 3 tiempos con anastomosis ileoanal con reservorio.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Los resultados primarios incluyeron el Índice Integral de Complicaciones a los 30 días después del cierre de la ileostomía. Los resultados secundarios incluyeron complicaciones, complicaciones graves, reoperaciones y readmisiones dentro de los 30 días posteriores al cierre de la ileostomía.RESULTADOS:El ensayo se detuvo después del análisis interino debido a una alta tasa de complicaciones después del cierre temprano de la ileostomía. Entre los 36 pacientes analizados, 1 (3%) tuvo una proctectomía no planificada con ileostomía terminal. De los 35 pacientes restantes, 28 (80%) fueron clínicamente elegibles para el cierre temprano y se sometieron a una evaluación radiológica. Hubo 3 fracasos radiológicos. De los 25 pacientes restantes, 22 (88 %) se asignaron al azar a cierre temprano (n = 10) o tardío (n = 12) y 3 fueron excluidos. La mediana del Índice Integral de Complicaciones fue de 14,8 (0-54) y 0 (0-23) después del cierre temprano y tardío (p = 0,02). Una o más complicaciones ocurrieron en 7 pacientes (70%) después del cierre temprano y 2 (17%) pacientes después del cierre tardío (p = 0,01) y fueron graves en 3 (30%) y 0 pacientes, respectivamente (p = 0,04). Requirieron reintervención en 1 (10%) y 0 (p = 0,26) y reingreso en 7 (70%) y 1 (8%) pacientes (p = 0,003).LIMITACIONES:Este estudio estuvo limitado por el cierre temprano del estudio; sesgo de selección.CONCLUSIONES:El cierre temprano de una ileostomía de derivación en pacientes con colitis ulcerosa con anastomosis de reservorio ileoanal se asocia con una tasa inaceptablemente alta de complicaciones. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/C68. (Traducción-Dr. Felipe Bellolio).

Trends in the Management of Non-emergent Surgery for Diverticular Disease and the Impact of Practice Parameters.

BACKGROUND: Due to the rise in diverticular disease, the ASCRS developed practice parameters to ensure high-quality patient care. Our study aims to evaluate the impact of the 2014 practice parameters on the treatment of non-emergent left-sided diverticular disease. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study using the ACS-National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (ACS-NSQIP). Elective sigmoid resections performed by year were evaluated and compared before and after practice parameters were published. RESULTS: Overall, 46,950 patients met inclusion criteria. There was a significant decrease in the number of non-emergent operations when evaluating before and after guideline implementation (P < .001). There was a significant decrease in the number of patients younger than 50 years of age operated electively for diverticular disease (25.8% vs. 23.9%, P = .005). Adoption of minimally invasive surgery continued to increase significantly throughout the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Publication of the 2014 ASCRS practice parameters is associated with a change in management of diverticular disease in the non-emergent setting.

Colorectal cancer screening in a safety-net health system: The intersectional impact of race, ethnicity, language, and mental health.

Though rates of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening continue to improve with increased advocacy and awareness, there are numerous disparities that continue to be defined within different health systems and populations. We aimed to define associations between patients' socio-demographic characteristics and CRC screening in a well-resourced safety-net health system. A retrospective review was performed from 2018 to 2019 of patients between 50 and 75-years-old who had a primary care visit within the last two years. Numerous patient characteristics were extracted from the medical record, including self-reported race, self-reported ethnicity, insurance, preferred language, severe mental health diagnoses (SMHD), and substance use disorder (SUD). Multivariate logistic regression assessed characteristics associated with CRC screening. Of 22,145 included patients, 16,065 (72.5%) underwent CRC screening. <40% of the population was White or of North American/European ethnicity and 38% had limited English proficiency. Hispanic patients had the highest screening rate while White patients had the lowest among races (78.1% vs 68.5%, respectively). White patients had higher rates of SMHD and SUD (p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, most other races (Black, Asian, and Hispanic), ethnicities, and languages had significantly higher odds of screening, ranging from 20% to 55% higher, when White, North American/European, English-speakers are used as reference. In a well-resourced safety-net health system, patients who were non-White, non-North American/European, and non-English-speaking, had higher odds of CRC screening. This data from a unique health system may better guide screening outreach and implementation strategies in historically under-resourced communities, leading to strategies for equitable colorectal cancer screening.

Perioperative use of NSAIDs and the risk of short-term endoscopic recurrence in Crohn's disease patients: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: More evidence is needed on the use of NSAID based postoperative pain regimens for Crohn's disease (CD) and its association with recurrence. Our goal is to assess the impact of perioperative use of NSAIDs on endoscopic disease recurrence in patients with CD. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. The primary outcome measured was endoscopic disease recurrence within 24 months of surgery, defined as a Rutgeerts score ≥ i2. RESULTS: We identified 107 patients with CD that underwent index ileocolectomy with primary anastomosis between January 2009 and July 2019. Endoscopic disease recurrence was identified in 28 (26.2%) and clinical recurrence in 18 (16.8%) patients. Exposure to NSAIDs did not increase 24-month endoscopic recurrence risk (22.2% vs. 38.5% patients, p = 0.12). CONCLUSION: In patients with CD undergoing elective ileocolic resection and primary ileocolic anastomosis, NSAID use in the perioperative period did not impact endoscopic or clinical disease recurrence rate.

Comparative early histologic healing quality of magnetic versus stapled small bowel anastomosis.

BACKGROUND: Successful anastomotic healing is critical to preventing complications after intestinal surgery. We aimed to compare the early healing of end-to-end small bowel anastomosis by self-forming magnets with surgical stapling in a porcine model. METHOD: Six Yorkshire pigs underwent 2 simultaneous small bowel anastomoses using a circular stapler and self-forming magnet technique. The primary outcome was healing quality, measured by 4 histologic features: inflammatory cell infiltration, collagen formation, grade of inflammation, and bacterial infiltration at the anastomosis. The samples were evaluated at days 1, 3, and 7. Gross evaluation of anastomotic integrity was a secondary outcome. RESULTS: The self-forming magnet group displayed significant differences at each time point. On day 1, the stapled group displayed dense inflammatory cell infiltration and extensively ulcerated intestinal layers with significant edema. The self-forming magnet group showed less inflammatory infiltrate, and all intestinal layers remained compressed in direct apposition. By day 3, the self-forming magnet group already exhibited neovascularization with scant bacterial colonies. By contrast, stapled anastomoses had large areas of inflammation separating collagen fibers with prevalent bacterial infiltrations. On day 7, self-forming magnet anastomoses were characterized by robust neovascularization, maturing granulation tissue, and mucosal re-epithelization without significant inflammation. Meanwhile, stapled samples had persisting dense inflammation, tissue cavities with hemorrhage, and immature fibrous tissue. Grossly, the self-forming magnet created a patent lumen without defect, whereas stapled anastomoses demonstrated focal areas of serosal separation. CONCLUSION: Bowel anastomosis by self-forming magnets is associated with superior early histologic healing metrics, including early seal generation through mechanical compression, decreased inflammation, early neovascularization, lower bacterial infiltration, and faster re-epithelization.

Are IBD Patients Underscored when Determining Postoperative VTE Risk?

BACKGROUND: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) following colorectal surgery and there is currently no consensus on post-surgical VTE prevention or specific VTE risk assessment tools. We sought to evaluate VTE risk after colorectal surgery and determine if known risk factors used in risk assessment tools adequate correlate with VTE risk in IBD patients. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP) Participant User File from 2010 to 2018. RESULTS: A total of 27,679 patients were included; 19,015 (68.7%) had Crohn's disease (CD) and 8664 (31.3%) ulcerative colitis (UC). Of these, 16,749 (60.5%) underwent abdominopelvic procedures, 10,178 (36.8%) complex pelvic procedures, and 752 (2.7%) small bowel operations. The overall VTE rate was 2.3%. The VTE rate in patients with CD and UC was 1.8% and 3.6% (p < 0.001) respectively. Overall median time to VTE was 9 days after surgery. VTE rate was highest in patients who underwent complex pelvic procedures (3.6%; 361/10,178). A risk score was calculated using 16/40 available variables from the Caprini VTE Risk Assessment tool; risk score ranged from 3 to 12 points. Most patients that developed a VTE had a score between 3 and 5 points (75.6%), and only 24.5% had a score of 6 or higher. Patients with higher risk scores did not have a higher VTE incidence. CONCLUSION: Post-surgical VTE rates are high in IBD patients. Over half of the events occurred following discharge and in patients with an apparent low-risk score. Additional studies are warranted to define a recommended postoperative VTE prophylaxis regimen for patients with IBD.

Immunohistochemical analysis of Tn antigen expression in colorectal adenocarcinoma and precursor lesions.

BACKGROUND: The Tn antigen (CD175) is an O-glycan expressed in various types of human adenocarcinomas, including colorectal cancer (CRC), though prior studies have relied heavily upon poorly characterized in-house generated antibodies and lectins. In this study, we explored Tn expression in CRC using ReBaGs6, a well-characterized recombinant murine antibody with high specificity for clustered Tn antigen. METHODS: Using well-defined monoclonal antibodies, expression patterns of Tn and sialylated Tn (STn) antigens were characterized by immunostaining in CRC, in matched peritumoral [transitional margin (TM)] mucosa, and in normal colonic mucosa distant from the tumor, as well as in adenomas. Vicia villosa agglutinin lectin was used to detect terminal GalNAc expression. Histo-scoring (H scoring) of staining was carried out, and pairwise comparisons of staining levels between tissue types were performed using paired samples Wilcoxon rank sum tests, with statistical significance set at 0.05. RESULTS: While minimal intracellular Tn staining was seen in normal mucosa, significantly higher expression was observed in both TM mucosa (p < 0.001) and adenocarcinoma (p < 0.001). This pattern was reflected to a lesser degree by STn expression in these tissue types. Interestingly, TM mucosa demonstrates a Tn expression level even higher than that of the adenocarcinoma itself (p = 0.019). Colorectal adenomas demonstrated greater Tn and STn expression relative to normal mucosa (p < 0.001 and p = 0.012, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In summary, CRC is characterized by alterations in Tn/STn antigen expression in neoplastic epithelium as well as peritumoral benign mucosa. Tn/STn antigens are seldom expressed in normal mucosa. This suggests that TM mucosa, in addition to CRC itself, represents a source of glycoproteins rich in Tn that may offer future biomarker targets.

Evaluation of Racial/Ethnic Disparities in the Surgical Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND: Disparities in managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are multifactorial and occur at all stages of treatment, including surgical management. We aim to evaluate postoperative morbidity after abdominopelvic surgery among different racial/ethnic groups after surgical management of CD and UC and account for preoperative characteristics that may impact outcomes. METHODS: Patients were identified using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP) file and merged with the targeted proctectomy (2016-2019) and colectomy file (2012-2019). All patients undergoing elective surgical management for ICD9/10 codes for CD and UC were included. The primary outcome was composite postoperative morbidity (CPM), a metric that identifies postoperative morbidity with available variables. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was performed to test the association between race/ethnicity and other risk factors with CPM. Postoperative outcomes were evaluated using propensity score modeling with 1:1 matching without replacement as a secondary analysis. RESULTS: In both CD and UC, CPM was highest for Black patients with 27.5% (326) and 26.1% (81), respectively. Followed by Hispanic patients with a CPM of 21.1% (73) after surgery for CD (p < 0.001) and 21.2% (31) for Asian patients after resection for UC (p = 0.005). After regression modeling, we found increased odds of CPM for Black patients after surgery for UC (OR 1.48, p = 0.013) and CD (OR 1.17, p < 0.001). Following propensity score matching (PSM), stoma creation rates were higher in Asian (10.4%, p = 0.010) and Hispanic patients (11.9%, p = 0.030) undergoing surgery for CD. CONCLUSIONS: Black patients are at increased risk of morbidity after surgery for both UC and CD. Increased morbidity in an already vulnerable population warrants targeted interventions, specifically focusing on faster access to specialized care, preoperative optimization, and culturally competent discussions on the benefits of MIS approaches are warranted in order to improve postoperative outcomes.