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Surgery for the treatment of colorectal diseases has been evolving rapidly recently. In addition to classical surgical procedures (colectomy, abdominoperineal resection), new surgical procedures include coloproctectomy with creation of an ileoanal anastomosis and ileal pouch, pelvic reconstructions (omentoplasty, placement of myocutaneous flaps) and creation of different colic anastomoses after anterior rectal resection. Even if computed tomography and fluoroscopic contrast examinations are still commonly used to assess postoperative changes and complications, especially infections, pelvic magnetic resonance imaging is useful to depict postoperative changes, detect complications such as fistulas and tumor recurrence in patients who have undergone surgery for primary or recurrent rectal disease. The main surgical techniques, their respective indications and postsurgical imaging features will be discussed. The main complications and imaging work-up will also be reviewed.

To determine the frequency and the predictive factors of colectomy and restorative colo-proctectomy in patients with ulcerative colitis.We conducted an 11-year retrospective study based on hospitalized ulcerative colitis patients followed up for more than 6 months.From 1995 to 2005, 115 patients were included (50 men, 65 women, mean age: 38.4 years). Mean duration of follow-up was 39.2 months (6 - 145). Colectomy was performed in 20 patients (17%), with an actuarial risk of 16% at 5 years and 35% at 10 years. Proctocolectomy with ileoanal anastomosis was performed in 16 cases and total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis in 4 cases. In univariate analysis, factors associated with an increased risk of colectomy were pancolitic location (p = 02), acute severe colitis (p0.0001), treatment by intravenous corticosteroids (p0.0001) and intravenous cyclosporine (p = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, acute severe colitis was the only independent factor associated with colectomy (p = 0.04 OR [CI 95%] :6.66 [1.04 - 50]). In patients with distal location, the independent factor associated with colectomy was colonic extension during follow up (p = 0.04 OR [CI 95%] :7.69 [1.07 - 50]). In patients with pancolitic location, risk of colectomy was associated with acute severe colitis (p = 0.01 OR [CI 95%] :9.09 [1.58 - 50]) and years of hospitalization from 1995 to 1999 (p = 0.02 OR [CI 95%] :7.14 [1.35 - 44]).Although the diffusion of treatment by intravenous cyclosporin, surgery is frequently performed in our ulcerative colitis patients, specially in case of acute severe colitis. Evaluation of colonic extension during the follow-up is associated with an important prognostic impact.

Total coloproctectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is the operation of choice for both ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis. In experienced teams, it is now possible to do this operation through a laparoscopic approach. Laparoscopy allows to perform the same operation than during open surgery, but with reduction of the surgical trauma, especially for the abdominal wound.

The purposes of this study are: 1) to evaluate if recent progresses (knowledge of natural history, genetic diagnosis and surgical treatment) have an impact upon the long term follow up of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP); 2) to assess the prognosis factors that are relative to recent progresses in diagnosis and treatment procedures. A retrospective study of 51 cases was carried out in July 2002 to analyse the following characteristics: phenotype, treatment, operative mortality and morbidity, late complications, especially rectal stump cancer after ileo-rectal anastomosis, duodenal adenomatosis and desmoid tumors. Twenty seven men and 24 women underwent surgery: 11 colo-rectal cancers were present at first step. Initial surgical procedures included 39 total colectomies with ileo-rectal anastomosis (IRA), 6 coloproctectomies with ileo-anal anastomosis (IAA) and 6 coloproctectomies with permanent ileostomy. Operative mortality was nil. Operative morbidity affected 11 patients. The rectum had to be secondary removed in 11 patients with convert in IAA. Duodenal adenomatosis required surgery in 10 patients: 5 surgical local excisions, 4 duodenopancreatectomies and 1 palliative by-pass. Six desmoid tumors were noted during the follow-up. On the whole 3 patients were lost of sight. Nine patients died (19.1%), 4 deaths were in relation with the disease: 1 rectal cancer, 2 duodenal cancers, 1 desmoid tumor necrosis. At the end of the follow up (mean duration: 17 years) 26 IRA and 17 IAA are present with good functional results. This study, according to already published data, suggests that today the risk of death related to colorectal cancer is becoming lower than the risk of death from duodenal cancer and desmoid tumor evolution, particularly since the introduction of the restorative proctocolectomy. The genetic diagnosis is useful in order to determine the choice of surgical procedures.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of primary sclerosing cholangitis and other histological liver abnormalities in patients operated on for ulcerative colitis and to discuss the advantages of performing a systematic liver biopsy during surgery.From 1996 to 2001, 21 consecutive patients underwent a restorative proctocolectomy or a reoperation after proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis. These patients systematically underwent liver biopsy during the procedure.One patient presented with primary sclerosing cholangitis (4.7%). This patient was clinically and biologically asymptomatic. Four patients had steatosis, 8 had non specific inflammation such as small duct cholangitis and 8 had normal liver biopsy. As a result medical treatment was adapted and close surveillance of the live was begun.Peroperative liver biopsy identify primary sclerosing cholangitis or other liver diseases in an early diagnosis and help evaluate their stage in order to start appropriate treatment.

Rectal excision followed by low anastomosis is associated with high bowel frequency, urgency and faecal incontinence. These functional disorders results from the loss of the rectal pouch and may be also related to the damage of the anal sphincter or the loss of normal anorectal sensation. Formation of a colonic J pouch reduces the severity of the symptoms of the anterior resection syndrome mainly by decreasing bowel frequency. Creation of a J pouch may also improve the healing of coloanal anastomoses. However, there is no evidence of the role of the colonic J pouch in long term functional outcome of coloanal anastomoses. Moreover, the size of the J pouch increases with time and this may induce evacuation difficulties. Finally, the J pouch cannot be used in all patients, because of technical difficulties especially in obese men. Because the results after colonic J pouch are not perfect, new colonic pouches are developed. The caecal pouch is performed by using an ileocoecal interposition graft between the sigmoid and the anus. The transverse coloplasty is similar to that of stricturoplasty. The side-to-end coloanal anastomosis, giving a colonic blind end, is an other type of pouch. The first procedure seems technically complex with no demonstrated advantage. The second procedure is easy to construct and may be performed in all patients; however, there is a potential higher risk of leakage and functional results must be evaluated. The third procedure showed few advantages compared to a straight anastomosis.

Colorectal cancer is frequent and diagnosed earlier thanks to the screening and to the progresses in the preoperative assessment. The precocity of the surgical resection takes advantage from the complete resection of vascular and nodes involvement. The rectal localisation of the cancer requires to take the reconstruction into account. If preoperative radiotherapy is helpful in T4 and T3 N2 and locally advanced tumour, the surgeon should consider the four approaches of rectal cancer: the anterior resection (Dixon-Wangensteen) (DW) with total mesorectal excision (TME), the colo-anal anastomosis with a J pouch, the abdomino-perineal approach (Miles procedure) requiring a definitive left colostomy, and in some rare cases the transanal local resection.

A 32-year-old man with ulcerative colitis had a colectomy for toxic colitis. Later, a rectal mucosectomy was performed along with the creation of a pelvic pouch. In 1998, approximately 10 years after this staged restorative proctocolectomy was completed, endoscopic examination of the pelvic pouch detected a small mucosal polypoid mass lesion. Although the lesion had the macroscopic appearance of an inflammatory polyp, microscopic sections of the resected lesion revealed dysplastic changes. Endoscopic polypectomy was performed to remove the lesion, and further histological surveillance examinations of the pelvic pouch have not detected additional dysplastic mucosal changes.

The aim of this study was to report a new case of superior mesenteric artery syndrome following total proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for chronic ulcerative colitis. Diagnosis was made following a prolonged gastric stasis and was based on upper gastrointestinal X-ray series. Medical treatment was unefficient and gastro-jejunostomy was performed. The early outcome was good.

The indication for laparoscopy in digestive surgery has evolved with the development of the laparoscopic material as well its increasingly frequent practice in the medical community. Those complex operations such as restorative proctocolectomy require a high level of technical skill as well as a specifically designed operative approach. The study aim was to report our experience of the video-assisted approach to restorative proctocolectomy.

This retrospective study was designed to assess the operative, oncologic and functional results of total proctectomy with coloanal anastomosis (CAA).Between 1990 and 1994, 81 patients (44 males/37 females: mean age: 59 years) were operated for a cancer (n = 67) or a benign lesion (n = 14) of the rectum. Sixty-four patients had a straight CAA and 17 patients had a colonic J-pouch.There was no operative mortality. Two patients were reoperated for colonic necrosis and underwent abdominoperineal resection. An anastomotic leak was observed in 11 patients and its severity was decreased by a diverting stoma. An anastomotic stricture was observed in 10 patients. Of the 67 patients with cancer, 19 (28%) developed metastases and 11 (16%) developed local recurrence. The 5-year survival rate was 69%. Twelve months after the operation, continence was similar with the two types of CAA, but the mean daily stool frequency was lower in patients with a reservoir. With a long follow-up (mean = 9 years), functional results were good with regard to continence and stool frequency, almost similar with the two types of CAA; functional disorders (noctumal stools, fragmentation, urgency) were reported by 25 to 40% of patients.Total proctectomy with coloanal anastomosis yields good oncologic results. With regard to functional results, the superiority of the colonic J-pouch, which is observed in the first postoperative year, was lost beyond this period; long-term results are good for continence and stool frequency, but some disorders persist in a significant proportion of patients.

Adenocarcinomas of the anorectal junction, especially T3 lesions, are usually treated by abdominoperineal resection. The aim of this study was to evaluate oncologic and functional results following conservative radiosurgical treatment of cancers of the anorectal junction.From 1990 to 1999, among 395 patients with rectal carcinoma, 31 had sphincter-saving resection for a tumour located between 2 to 4.5 cm (mean 3.6) from the anal verge. There were 16 men and 15 women, mean age 62 years (range 30-86). There were 5 T2, 23 T3 and 3 T4 tumours; 17 were N1 and 3 were M1. Preoperative radiotherapy was performed in 26 patients (dose: 46 Gy, range: 36-54), with concomitant chemotherapy in 14 cases. Intersphincteric resection was performed six weeks after neoadjuvant treatment. Coloanal anastomoses were associated with a colonic pouch in 22 cases and with a protecting stoma in all cases.There was no postoperative mortality. Seven complications occurred: 3 anastomotic fistulas, 3 pelvic haemorrhages and 1 acute pancreatitis. Three patients had a definitive stoma. After preoperative radiotherapy, down-staging (pT0-2 N0) occurred in 46% of cases (12/26). Distal margin was 2.2 cm (range: 1-3) and was microscopically safe in all cases. Lateral margin was safe (or = 1 mm) in 97% of cases. With a mean follow-up of 36 months, no local recurrence was suspected. Twenty-six patients (84%) were alive, 23 free of disease. Half of the patients had perfect continence, whereas the other half had occasional minor soiling. Functional results were better in patients with a colonic pouch.Conservative treatment of carcinomas of the anorectal junction is possible without compromising pelvic control and patient survival. Pelvic control was probably achieved by using preoperative radiotherapy with intersphincteric resection, ensuring safe distal and lateral margins.

This study reviews different aspects of hereditary colorectal cancer associated with three polyposis syndromes: familial adenomatous polyposis, juvenile polyposis coli and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. All these syndromes share some similarities: low incidence, autosomal dominant inheritance, genetic predisposition to colorectal cancer and/or other extracolonic cancers. Classical familial adenomatous polyposis is clinically defined by the presence of hundreds of adenomatous polyps in the colon and rectum, whereas less than 100 polyps are found in attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis. Without prophylactic colectomy, colorectal cancer develops inevitably by the age of 40. Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal anal-pouch anastomosis is the operation of choice in familial adenomatous polyposis. In juvenile polyposis coli, 50-200 hamartomatous polyps are found in the colon, rectum, stomach and small bowel. Life-time cumulative risk for colorectal cancer is estimated to be 50%. Prophylactic colectomy is required only in cases in which endoscopic surveillance is not able to control polyp development. Hereditary mixed polyposis syndrome is a variant form of juvenile polyposis coli, consisting of multiple mixed adenomatous, hyperplastic and hamartomatous polyps. Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is characterized by multiple hamartomatous polyps located in the small bowel, colon and stomach. Small bowel follow through and colonoscopy is advised for surveillance. Surgery is warranted only in cases of polyps larger than 1 cm. The causative genes of these syndromes have been cloned. Molecular genetic testing of affected and at-risk individuals is proposed in order to advise surveillance and management.

The management of urinary and fecal incontinence in children and adolescents with neurogenic disorders related to congenital or acquired conditions was frequently considered to be of secondary importance compared with orthopaedic complications. The improvement of artificial urinary sphincter and continent urinary diversion techniques allowed to establish for each case an individual plan considering overall, abilities and voiding dysfunction as well as renal complications. Antegrade colonic enema has greatly improved the quality of life of children with fecal incontinence or intractable constipation. Surgical management requires a large contribution by the patients and their closest relatives and complete information about goals, advantages and obligations of surgical management. Surgical principles for bladder augmentation, bladder neck reconstruction and continent urinary diversion are presented and discussed according to data in the recent literature and the author's clinical experience.

Surgical treatment of chronic ulcerative colitis requires restorative proctocolectomy with ilial pouch-anal anastomosis to remove all the disease bowel and provide cure. A one-stage or two-stage procedure can be performed after subtotal colectomy with ileostomy and colostomy. Restorative proctocolectomy is not advised for very old patients or patients with anal sphincter insufficiency. In such cases, total colectomy with ileo-rectal anastomosis is proposed. The rectal stump must be examined regularly by rectoscopy because of the risk of cancer. A proctocolectomy with definitive ileostomy is proposed after pouch-anal excision for pelvic septic complications (5% of ileal pouch-anal anastomoses). Surgical treatment of chronic ulcerative colitis is indicated when medical treatment fails, at onset of fulminant acute colitis, or because of colorectal dysplasia.

Rectal adenocarcinoma is a common cancer. Substantial advances in surgical technique and adjuvant treatments usually allow to preserve sphincter function, without overruling oncologic surgery standards. Sexual function is usually preserved, except in patients with locally advanced tumors. There is sound evidence that complete removal of the mesorectum and local radiation therapy decrease the rate of local recurrences. Quality of functional results after colorectal versus coloanal anastomosis is compared, and the contribution to patient comfort of construction of a reservoir is evaluated.

This study reviews different aspects of hereditary colorectal cancer associated with three polyposis syndromes: familial adenomatous polyposis, juvenile polyposis coli and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. All these syndromes share some similarities: low incidence, autosomal dominant inheritance, genetic predisposition to colorectal cancer and/or other extracolonic cancers. Classical familial adenomatous polyposis is clinically defined by the presence of hundreds of adenomatous polyps in the colon and rectum, whereas less than 100 polyps are found in attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis. Without prophylactic colectomy, colorectal cancer develops inevitably by the age of 40. Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal anal-pouch anastomosis is the operation of choice in familial adenomatous polyposis. In juvenile polyposis coli, 50-200 hamartomatous polyps are found in the colon, rectum, stomach and small bowel. Life-time cumulative risk for colorectal cancer is estimated to be 50%. Prophylactic colectomy is required only in cases in which endoscopic surveillance is not able to control polyp development. Hereditary mixed polyposis syndrome is a variant form of juvenile polyposis coli, consisting of multiple mixed adenomatous, hyperplastic and hamartomatous polyps. Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is characterized by multiple hamartomatous polyps located in the small bowel, colon and stomach. Small bowel follow through and colonoscopy is advised for surveillance. Surgery is warranted only in cases of polyps larger than 1 cm. The causative genes of these syndromes have been cloned. Molecular genetic testing of affected and at-risk individuals is proposed in order to advise surveillance and management.

DEFINITION AND FREQUENCY: An ileoanal anastomosis with creation of an ideal pouch is proposed as the treatment for familial adenomatous polyposis and ulcerative hemorrhagic rectocolitis. The ideal pouch may become inflammatory in 10 to 30% of the cases. The diagnosis of pouchitis is based on a clinical, endoscopid and histological criteria.Pouchitis is a late complication, mainly after ileoanal anastomosis for ulcerative rectocolitis. The pathogenic mechanism is a subject of debate. Fecal stasis, bacterial pollution, mucine secretion and the underlying inflammatory disease could be involved.Antibiotics active against anaerobic bacteria, such as metronidazole, are generally given. In case of failure, common antiinflammatory agents used in inflammatory bowel disease are indicated.

A diffuse cavernous hemangioma of the colon and rectum was made in a 20-year-old man. Treatment consisted of total colectomy with ileorectostomy. A proctectomy was mandatory four years later because of massive rectal bleeding. A sphincter-saving operation was possible and bowel continuity was restored with an ileal "J" pouch-anal anastomosis. Cavernous hemangioma generally affects the rectosigmoid and colo-anal sleeve anastomosis is the treatment of choice. When cavernous hemangioma affects the colon and rectum or when the colon has been removed for an other reason, an ileo-anal anastomosis, although technically difficult, can be performed in order to prevent recurrent bleeding while preserving continence and allowing acceptable bowel function.

To assess the prognosis of pancolitis in ulcerative colitis including survival, colectomy rate, colon cancer risk, activity of disease, functional and socioprofessional impact.Retrospective study of 130 cases of ulcerative pancolitis referred consecutively to Rothschild Hospital from 1962 to 1993. They were 58 men and 72 women. The mean age at onset of ulcerative colitis was 30 years (range: 5-77). The extension to the right colon was secondary in 68% of patients. The period of observation ranged from 0.8 year to 46 years from the onset, with a median of 10.6 years. Three patients were lost to follow up.Eight patients died, the survival rate being 93% at 10 years. Surgical treatment was performed in 85 patients. The cumulative colectomy rates were 61% and 77% at 10 and 20 years respectively. Colonic cancer developed in three patients, corresponding to a cumulative risk after 25 years of 6% in unoperated patients and 1.9% in the whole series. No cancer occurred after colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis. In the group of unoperated patients there was a decrease of activity of the disease during the first fifteen years. The quality of life of colectomized patients with reestablishment of intestinal continuity and of those treated conservatively did not differ significantly.In this series, long term prognosis of ulcerative pancolitis was favourable. The high colectomy rate was balanced by a very low risk of colorectal cancer.

Amongst family members at risk of developing familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) to distinguish between those who are affected by the disease and those who are not, in order to provide optimal treatment to those requiring it whilst excluding those without the disease from the endoscopic surveillance programme.A programme of endoscopy, ophthalmologic examination for retinal pigment lesions associated with FAP and genetic analysis was proposed to a patient suffering from FAP and 3 of his children considered to be at risk.One person at risk eventually proved to have the disease. He had diffuse recto-colic polyposis as well as the typical retinal lesions found in his father and was treated by prophylactic proctocolectomy. He had inherited the mutated paternal allele. The other 2 children had neither polyposis nor retinal lesions and had inherited the normal allele from their father.Retinal lesions seen at fundoscopy allowed the diagnosis of FAP to be made before endoscopic confirmation in one patient at risk for FAP, but their absence did not exclude the diagnosis in the other 2. In these patients genetic analysis revealed that they had inherited the normal paternal allele and hence would not develop FAP.Systematic investigation of a family suffering from FAP allowed the members at risk to be identified. Two subjects at risk were able to be excluded from further follow-up and the remaining patient was able to be treated in an optimal fashion. An algorithm is proposed for the screening of patients at risk.

Respiratory impairments occurring as systemic manifestations of ulcerative colitis are often misinterpreted. We report a case of chronic productive bronchitis associated with ulcerative colitis; symptoms appeared after colectomy. Clinical features distinguished it from common chronic bronchitis: it occurred in a woman without respiratory disease or smoking history, a chronic productive cough without bronchiectasis, negative infectious investigations, severe endoscopic and histologic lesions, and above all remarkable steroid efficacy. Systematic research and early treatment of these manifestations avoids aggravating pulmonary disease, especially secondary bronchiectasis. Though less frequent, other respiratory manifestations of ulcerative colitis have been described, such as asphyxiating tracheal stenosis, pneumonia or interstitial pulmonary diseases, pleurisy or pleuro-pericarditis.

In Ulcerative Colitis (UC), the rectum is always involved, but the disease may be extended to the left colon (distal colitis) or the entire organ (pancolitis). Secondary perineal lesions (erythema, fissures, hemorrhoids) are limited to local irritation related to the diarrheic syndrome; specific ano-rectal lesions are related to the mucosal inflammatory process, but others pathological situations may be observed and are due to the postoperative status (stenotic ileo-anal anastomosis, pouch inflammation). Ano-rectal localisation of Crohn's Disease (CD), sometimes underestimated, is clinically more complex (abscess, fistula, ulcer, etc) and requires precise classical (endoscopy, conventional radiology) or more modern (echo-endoscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance) investigations. The treatment is more difficult (medical conservative, "a minima" or more extended surgery). Differential diagnosis, symptoms, methods of investigation and appropriated therapeutical choices are successively developed.

The authors reported their experience using detubularized ileal pouch and Benchekroun hydraulic valve. They obtain continence in all patients, and antireflux in only 12 of them. 30 patients were operated according to this technique from January 1986 to December 1992. The main indication was represented by vesical tumors, treated by cystoprostatectomy. 90% of the patients operated this way are continent, when 10% were reoperated to achieve continence. They point out in the follow-up the steady state of renal function, and radiologically, the improvement or at least the stabilization of pyelo-ureteral dilatation, and the absence of ureteral reflux, especially when antireflux system was performed using Benchekroun hydraulic valve.

When surgical treatment is indicated in the course of ulcerative colitis, several operations may be performed. In the vast majority of patients, total proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is the procedure of choice. Other operations (total proctocolectomy with Brooke ileostomy, total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis or with Kock pouch) can also be used in certain circumstances. Postoperative quality of life must be considered before any decision is finalized.

The aim of this study was to assess the results of ileal "J" pouch-anal anastomosis in ulcerative colitis. One hundred and fifty six patients operated on between 1983 and 1991 for ulcerative colitis were followed-up prospectively since the surgical procedure with a mean of 29 +/- 16 months (range: 6 to 92 months). There was no postoperative death. Forty-four patients (28%) presented 48 post-operative complications and 14 (9%) were reoperated. Twenty-five patients (16%) were reoperated because of a late complication. Three pouches had to be removed for untreatable fistulas which appeared to be related to a Crohn's disease in 2 cases; the reestablishment of a diverting loop ileostomy was mandatory in 2 further patients for anoperineal sepsis. The mean stool frequency at 1 year was 4.5 +/- 1.9; 40% of patients did not have nocturnal stooling. Daytime and nighttime continence were normal in 90.7% and 77.5% of cases respectively, 87% of patients considered their social life improved by the surgical cure of the disease. The results observed 5 years after the surgical procedure in 37 patients were similar to those observed at 1 year. Twenty-five patients (16%) presented one or several episodes of pouchitis, including 5 cases of chronic pouchitis. It is concluded that the treatment of ulcrerative colitis, ileal "J" pouch-anal anastomosis, is a safe and effective procedure which provides good functional results.

Ileal-pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) following coloproctectomy avoids permanent ileostomy, and allows complete excision of diseased mucosa in ulcerative colitis (UC) and adenomatous polyposis. Preserving normal intestinal pattern, the goal of IPAA is to improve quality of life for patients. This study was designed to measure the impact of IPAA on quality of life in a series of 35 surgically treated UC. Four fields of quality of life were explored: diet, professional activity, sport practice, sexual activity. Interview with independent observer and prospective follow-up allowed to establish a score from 0 (excellent quality of life) to 19 (bad quality of life). In the same time, functional score evaluating pouch evacuation and continence was established (0 = excellent function, 30 = bad function) to be compared to quality of life. The series included 35 IPAA in function for more than 6 months (mean follow-up = 46 +/- 31 months), performed for UC (14 females and 21 males, mean age: 34 y-a). Respectively 30 (86%) and 5 (14%) of the patients had an excellent and fair quality of life, according to the scoring system: 25 had no diet, all but one had a normal professional activity and all were satisfied of sport practice; 33 had no sexual disturbances related to IPAA, but 3 female patients complained of infertility. Functional results were excellent, fair and bad respectively in 25 (72%), 9 (26%) and 1 patients: stool frequency was 4.6 +/- 2 per day, 60% of patients having no nocturnal emission, and 90% being able to delay for more than 1 hour.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical outcome after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis with mucosectomy for ulcerative colitis and for familial adenomatous polyposis, and to characterize the histology of the stripped endoanal mucosa with particular reference to the ulcerative colitis activity, adenomatous polyps and dysplasia. Twenty-eight patients were operated, 16 for ulcerative colitis (group I) and 12 for familial adenomatous polyposis (group II). In group I, there were no intraoperative complications, but mucosectomy was tedious in 10 patients (62%) and the anastomosis was performed under some degree of tension in 10 patients (62%). In group II, there was a direct injury of the internal sphincter by a posterior tear during the mucosal stripping in one case. Mucosectomy was easy to perform in 8 patients (67%) and 10 anastomoses (84%) were performed under tension. In both groups, there were no postoperative complications related to the mucosectomy or to the anastomosis itself. Functional results were good, with a normal continence in 80% of ulcerative colitis patients and 92% of familial adenomatous polyposis patients. Review of histological sections of the stripped anal mucosa in group I showed chronic active ulcerative colitis in 8 patients (50%), chronic non-active ulcerative colitis in 4 (25%) and quiescent ulcerative colitis in 4 (25%). There was only one case of moderate dysplasia in a patient with a Dukes A carcinoma. In group II, anal mucosa showed micropolyps in all cases with mild dysplasia in 3 cases (25%) and moderate dysplasia in 9 (75%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In order to precise the indications and results of this procedure, we assessed 11 cases of transformation of ileorectal anastomosis (IRA) to ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) in ulcerative colitis (UC). These 5 men and 6 women had undergone IRA at a mean age of 31 years, 33 months after the diagnosis of UC (range 3-120). Four of these IRA, excluded by an ileostomy, had never been in function: the cause was severe persistent proctitis in 2 cases and anastomotic leakage and peritonitis in 2 cases. The other 7 IRA had been in function during a mean period of 25 months (range 6-45) and were reoperated because of anal sepsis (1 case), low rectal stenosis (1 case), disabling proctitis (4 cases) and rectal dysplasia (1 case). No patient had specific pathologic signs of Crohn's disease. The 11 IPAA were complicated by pelvic sepsis in 3 cases; surgical drainage succeeded in 1 case, but the 2 others needed pouch excision and terminal ileostomy. The diagnosis of Crohn's disease was eventually made in these 2 patients. The 9 patients with functioning IPAA, at a mean follow-up of 40 months (range 12-60), had 5.2 stools per 24 h (range 2-12), 5 patients had no nocturnal stooling, and 6 had a perfect continence. One patient had disabling chronic pouchitis. In conclusion, proctectomy with IPAA is always feasible when a previous IRA for UC had failed or offers poor results, but should be rejected in case of anal involvement, as that may suggest Crohn's disease. This procedure is followed by similar functional results than after primary IPAA.

Ulcerative colitis is an illness that occurs unexpectedly in a young patient, with a generally unpredictable prognosis, and there is no medication to cure it. This illness profoundly impairs the patient's professional life, family life, sex life, leading to an overall change in lifestyle, most particularly in cases of pancolitis. The majority of patients who benefit from a total colectomy for their ulcerative colitis, are those whose cases are severe, chronic, incapacitating, and who respond poorly to prolonged, appropriately administered medical treatment, mainly continuous steroid therapy. After the surgical procedure, the average number of defecations is from 5 to 6 evacuations in 24 hours, and the anal continence is good. Around 5% of patients have nocturnal leakage requiring to wear a protecting fad. Globally 9 out 10 patients are satisfied with their surgery and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is the procedure of choice for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in subjects under 60 years of age, with a normal anal sphincter function and without neoplastic complication of the lower rectum.

Proctectomy is one of the most important operative phases of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. It allows complete resection of the rectal mucosa and determines the quality of the postoperative course and the functional results. Two procedures are described, either with a distal rectal mucosectomy or complete resection of the rectal wall as far as the pectinate line. Functional results are identical. The second procedure leads to a complete resection of the rectal mucosa and therefore will be indicated in cases of low rectal cancer of dysplasia when the anus can be preserved.

"Pouchitis" remains an unsolved problem which affects the lives of significant numbers of patients who have undergone an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis procedure for ulcerative colitis or familial adenomatous polyposis. Conditions which mimic "pouchitis" include overflow incontinence, specific infections, ischemic enteritis, peri-pouch sepsis and Crohn's disease. Current theories of etiology and implications for treatment are examined in this review article.

Frequency of colectomy for ulcerative colitis seems to have increased in some referral centers since the introduction of sphincter saving operations. Within the 5 years after occurrence of these new techniques, time between diagnosis and colectomy has shortened, emergency colectomies have decreased and patients operated on for resistance to treatment were more frequent. These trends reflect a tendency of patients and doctors toward earlier surgery, now that sphincter-saving techniques are available.

The risk of sexual sequelae after proctectomy for inflammatory disease or polyposis is moderate, but real. The pelvic nerves can be easily spared at the sites where they are most frequently damaged, i.e. anterior to the sacral promontory and on the lateral walls of the pelvis. In contrast, damage to the cavernosal nerves situated on either side of the posterior surface of the prostate is more difficult to avoid, essentially because of the anatomy of these nerves is poorly understood.

"Pouchitis" is clearly disease-related, in that patients with ulcerative colitis are more likely to get the condition after the ileal pouch-anal canal operation than are patients with familial adenomatous polyposis. Moreover, extraintestinal manifestations of colitis may flare up with the onset of pouchitis in colitis patients, and RFD9+ macrophages characteristics of colitis patients are more common in the pouch mucosa of patients with pouchitis than in those without pouchitis. Nonetheless, luminal factors have a role. Some, like bacteria and their products and nonsulfated bile acids, likely aggravate pouchitis, while others, like glutamine, short-chain fatty acids and perhaps calcium, seem to improve symptoms and suppress pouchitis. The inflammatory response may also be suppressed by corticoids, 5-aminosalicylic acid, allopurinol, and the immunosuppressive agents, cyclosporine and FK 506. Nonetheless, the prevention of pouchitis is empiric and imperfect, and the response to treatment of often temporary. The exact cause and the specific cure of pouchitis are still unknown.

After restorative proctocolectomy, both men and women report an improved sexual life primarily because of a better general health. Sexual dysfunction has been reported by a few men who complain of lack of or retrograde ejaculation (2%) or impotence (3%). Sexual dysfunction, especially dyspareunia, can persist in as many as 20% of women after ileoanal anastomosis, but is less severe than preoperatively in most and is less common than after ileostomy, whether continent or not. Women with an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis can conceive, and have had successful deliveries, either vaginally or by cesarean section, without long-term detrimental effects on ileal reservoir function. Indeed, stool frequency increased and continence worsened in a small group of ileoanal anastomosis women but the changes were minimal and returned to predelivery status 3 months after delivery.