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Background: The evolution of enhanced recovery pathways (ERPs) in colon and rectal surgery has led to the development of same-day discharge (SDD) procedures for selected patients. Early discharge after diverting loop ileostomy (DLI) closure was first described in 2003. However, its widespread adoption remains limited, with SDD accounting for only 3.2% of all DLI closures in 2005-2006, according to the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, and rising to just 4.1% by 2016. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of SDD DLI closure with those of DLI closure after the standard ERP., Methods: A retrospective case-matched study compared 125 patients undergoing SDD DLI closure with 250 patients undergoing DLI closure after the standard ERP based on age (±1 year), sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, body mass index, surgery date (±2 months), underlying disease, and hospital site. The primary outcome was comparative 30-day complication rates., Results: Patients in the traditional ERP group received more intraoperative fluids (1221.1 ± 416.6 vs 1039.0 ± 368.3 mL, P < .001) but had similar estimated blood loss. Ten patients (8%) in the SDD-ERP group failed SDD. The 30-day postoperative complication rate was significantly lower in the SDD group (14.8%) than the standard ERP group (25.7%, P = .025). This difference was primarily driven by a lower incidence of ileus in the SDD group (9.6% vs 14.8%, P = .034). There were no significant differences in readmission rate (9.6% of SDD-ERP vs 9.2% of standard ERP, P = .900) and reoperation rates (3.2% of SDD-ERP vs 2.4% of standard ERP, P = .650)., Conclusion: SDD ileostomy closure is a safe, feasible, and effective procedure associated with fewer complications than the present study's standard ERP. This could represent a new standard of care. Further prospective trials are required to confirm the findings of this study., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

There is limited data about the safety of colorectal surgery after immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). We aimed to share our experience about postoperative outcomes of colorectal surgery for patients treated with ICI. Overall, 31 patients were identified, 22 (71%) underwent elective and nine (29%) underwent emergent/urgent surgery. The 30-day Clavien Dindo class ≥ III complication rates were 27.3% (n = 6) for elective and 55.5% (n = 5) for emergent/urgent cases. Four patients underwent emergency surgery for immune-related colonic perforation and developed postoperative septic shock; two died. Considering patients' comorbidities, cancer stage, and surgical complexity, elective colorectal surgery after ICI seems relatively safe. However, emergent/urgent colorectal surgery was associated with high postoperative morbidity. Indeed, colonic perforation in the setting of ICI treatment has a significant risk of postoperative mortality. Therefore, for patients on ICI with any acute abdominal symptoms, surgical consult should be involved, and colon perforation should be ruled out., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest This research did not receive external funding. Authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.)

Background: Characteristics and indications for discharging patients to home or a specific facility type have been studied; however, critical evaluation of these facilities through analysis of post-discharge complications and readmission rates is mandatory. The aim of this study was to compare complications occurring after discharge to home, skilled, and unskilled care facilities to identify potential pitfalls., Methods: All adult (≥18 years) patients who underwent surgery for colon or rectal cancer from 2012 to 2017 as reported in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database were included. Patients were categorized according to the discharge destination into: home, skilled care (rehabilitation center, separate acute care, skilled facility), and unskilled care (multilevel senior community, facility which is home, unskilled facility). Demographics, surgical risk factors and predischarge complications were compared between the three groups. Primary endpoints were overall, major, surgical, and medical complications occurring post-discharge, within 30 days of surgery. Further assessed were specific complications, readmission, length of stay, and 30-day mortality., Results: A total of 108,617 patients were identified. Of them, 100,478 (92%) discharged to home, 7313 (7%) to skilled, and 826 (1%) to unskilled care. Of patients discharged to skilled care, 1928 (26%) discharged to rehabilitation centers, 368 (5%) to separate acute care, and 5017 (69%) to skilled facilities. Adjusted overall, major, surgical, and medical post-discharge complications were highest among patients discharged to skilled care destinations. Subgroup analysis revealed separate acute care (inter-hospital transfer) to be associated with the highest morbidity. Main reasons for readmission were primarily related to surgical site infection and intestinal obstruction among the three main destinations, whereas readmissions for systemic sepsis and medical complications were more frequent in patients admitted to skilled care., Conclusion: This study identified higher rates of post-discharge complications associated with skilled care destinations, despite risk adjustment. This over-morbidity is potentially related to prevailing medical complications and inter-hospital transfers. Further studies are needed to better understand those findings and to improve quality of post-acute care and related outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Despite an increasing trend towards utilization of minimally invasive approaches (MIS), results regarding their safety profile are contradictory. All patients who underwent elective colectomy for any underlying disease with an identifiable operative approach available from the targeted colectomy files of the ACS-NSQIP PUFs 2013 to 2018 were included. The trend of utilization and complication rates of the different operative approaches (open, laparoscopic, robotic) were assessed during the inclusion period. Furthermore, overall, surgical, and medical complications were compared between the three approaches. The study cohort included 78,987 patients. Of them, 12,335 (15.6%) patients underwent open, 57,874 (73.3%) laparoscopic, and 8,778 (11.1%) robotic surgery. There was an increasing trend towards the utilization of robotic surgery (2.5% increase per year) at the expense of the other approaches. With the increasing trend toward the utilization of the robotic approach, a decreasing trend in overall and surgical complications and length of stay was observed. After adjusting for the baseline confounders, robotic surgery was associated with shorter length of stay, lower rate of overall (OR 0.397; p < 0.05 compared to open and OR: 0.763; p < 0.05 compared to laparoscopy) and surgical complications (OR: 0.464; p < 0.05 compared to open and OR: 0.734; p < 0.05 compared to laparoscopy). This study revealed an increasing trend toward the utilization of MIS for elective colectomy in the US. Robotic surgery was associated with a decreasing trend in overall and surgical morbidity and length of stay.

Background and Objectives: The goal of this study was to compare disease-specific risk factors and 30-day outcomes between patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and colon cancer (CC) undergoing right-sided surgical resection., Methods: The American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP®) was interrogated to extract all patients ≥18 years undergoing elective right-sided resection for CD versus CC. Independent risk factors for surgical complications were identified through multivariable logistic regression for both groups. In a second step, surgical and medical 30-day morbidity was compared after risk adjustment., Results: The cohort consisted of 17,516 patients, of which 2,899 (16.6%) underwent surgery for CD versus 14,617 (83.4%) for CC. Independent risk factors for surgical complications in patients with CD were male gender, African American race, ASA score (III or IV), active smoking, prolonged surgery, and preoperative anemia. Independent risk factors for surgical complications in the cancer group were age ≥70 years, male gender, ASA score (III or IV), respiratory and cardiovascular comorbidities, and preoperative hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 g/dL). After risk adjustment, surgical complications (OR 1.25, p = 0.002), sepsis (OR 1.64, p = 0.012), and unplanned readmissions (OR 1.39, p = 0.004) were more common in patients with CD. Thirty-day mortality was higher in cancer patients (1.1 vs. 0.1%, p < 0.0001)., Conclusions: Patients with Crohn's disease were more prone to surgical complications and postoperative sepsis compared to the cancer group undergoing the same procedure. Careful evaluation and correction of disease-specific modifiable risk factors of patients with CD and CC, respectively, are important., (© 2021 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: This study aimed to analyze fluid management standards in 2 high-volume, enhanced recovery after surgery institutions 7 years after implementation., Methods: Retrospective analysis of consecutive patients undergoing elective, segmental colonic and extensive colorectal resections for benign and malignant pathology (2011-2017). Administration and composition of intravenous fluids, postoperative weight gain, and factors impeding compliance to preidentified fluid thresholds (3L fluid administration, 2.5 kg weight gain) were assessed. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for postoperative adverse events., Results: A total of 5,155 patients were included. Among them, 2,320 patients (45.1%) received >3 L intravenous fluids at postoperative day 0. Fluid totals remained unchanged over the 7-year observation period. Fluid overload was independently associated with postoperative weight gain ≥2.5 kg at postoperative day 2 (odds ratio 1.34, P < .001). Patients with high American Society of Anesthesiologists score (≥3) undergoing open and longer (≥180 minutes) procedures were more likely to exceed both thresholds according to multivariable analysis (all P < .001). Other than open surgery, American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≥3, contamination class ≥3, and malignancy, both thresholds (≥3 L: odds ratio 1.76, 95% confidence interval 1.44-2.15, ≥ 2.5 kg: odds ratio 1.62, 95% confidence interval 1.33-1.97) were independent risk factors for postoperative adverse outcomes (occurring in 28.1% of patients)., Conclusion: Compliance with fluid thresholds appears to be challenging in patients with comorbidities undergoing open and long procedures. Efforts are encouraged because both thresholds are linked to adverse outcomes and appear to be potentially modifiable in selected patients., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: BMI ≤18.5 kg/m2 and preoperative weight loss may lead to inaccurate assessment of nutritional status, given the increasing prevalence of obesity. The aim of this study was to assess whether clinical evaluation of malnutrition based on these parameters is sufficient to predict complications after colorectal cancer surgery., Materials and Methods: The American College of Surgeons-National Quality Improvement Program database was queried from 2005 to 2018. Patients undergoing elective colorectal cancer surgery were divided into 4 groups: (1) albumin <3.1 g/dL within 21 days of surgery, (2) European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) 2 clinical parameters for malnutrition (≥10% loss of weight/6 months plus [BMI <20 kg/m2 if age <70 years OR BMI <22 kg/m2 if age ≥70 years]), (3) both aforementioned criteria, and (4) none of aforementioned criteria., Results: Of 82,280 patients, 5,932 (7.2%) had hypoalbuminemia <3.1 g/dL, 764 (0.9%) fulfilled clinical ESPEN 2 parameters, and 338 (0.4%) met both criteria. After adjusting for baseline confounders, patients in the hypoalbuminemia group had a higher risk of overall complications (odds ratio [OR] 1.92, p < 0.05 vs. OR 1.18 in the ESPEN 2 group, p < 0.05), major complications (OR 1.98, p < 0.05 vs. OR 1.20, p < 0.05), surgical complications (OR 1.77, 95% p < 0.05 vs. OR 1.1, p > 0.05), medical complications (OR 1.73, p < 0.05 vs. OR 1.16, p > 0.05), surgical site infection (OR 1.32, p < 0.05 vs. OR 0.86, p > 0.05), and prolonged hospitalization (OR 1.79, p < 0.05 vs. OR 1.22, p < 0.05). Patients who met both criteria were at highest risk., Conclusions: Preoperative measurement of serum albumin appears to be essential to identify patients at risk for complications after colorectal cancer surgery. Clinical evaluation through BMI and weight loss alone may underestimate surgery-associated risks in the USA., (© 2021 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Postoperative ileus remains an issue after colorectal surgery delaying recovery and increasing the length of hospital stay and costs., Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of perioperative fluid management on ileus occurrence after colorectal surgery within a fully implemented enhanced recovery pathway., Design: This was a retrospective cohort study of a prospectively maintained institutional database., Settings: The study was conducted at a tertiary academic facility with fully implemented standardized enhanced recovery pathway over the entire study period., Patients: All of the consecutive elective major colorectal resections for benign or malign indications between 2011 and 2016 were included., Main Outcome Measures: Postoperative ileus was defined as the need for nasogastric tube reinsertion. Perioperative fluid management and surgical outcome were compared between patients presenting with ileus and those without. Potential risk factors for ileus were identified through multinomial logistic regression., Results: Postoperative ileus occurred in 377 (9%) of 4205 included patients at day 4 (interquartile range, 2-5 d). Intraoperatively, ileus patients received 3.2 ± 2.6 L of fluids, whereas the remaining patients received 2.5 ± 1.7 L (p < 0.001). Weight gain was 3.8 ± 7.1 kg in ileus patients versus 3.0 ± 6.6 kg (p = 0.272) in the remaining patients at postoperative day 1, 4.4 ± 6.5 kg versus 3.1 ± 7.0 kg (p = 0.028) at postoperative day 2, and 1.8 ± 6.0 kg versus 0.0 ± 6.0 kg at discharge (p = 0.002). The multivariable model including all significant (p < 0.05) demographic, fluid management-related, and surgical parameters retained postoperative day 0 fluids of >3 L (OR = 1.65 (95% CI, 1.13-2.41); p = 0.009), postoperative day 2 weight gain of >2.5 kg (OR = 1.49 (95% CI, 1.01-2.21); p = 0.048), and occurrence of postoperative complications (OR = 2.00 (95% CI, 1.39-2.90); p < 0.001) as independent risk factors for ileus., Limitations: This study was limited by its retrospective design. Fluid management depends on patient-, disease-, and surgery-related factors and cannot be generalized and extrapolated., Conclusions: Fluid overload and occurrence of postoperative complications were independent risk factors for postoperative ileus. This calls for action to keep perioperative fluids below suggested thresholds. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B54. ASOCIACIÓN POTENCIAL ENTRE EL MANEJO DEL LÍQUIDO PERIOPERATORIO Y EL SUCESO DE ÍLEO POSTOPERATORIO: El íleo postoperatorio sigue siendo un problema después de una cirugía colorrectal que retrasa la recuperación y aumenta la duración de la estancia hospitalaria y los costos.Analizar el impacto del manejo del líquido perioperatorio en la incidencia de íleo después de la cirugía colorrectal dentro de una vía de recuperación mejorada totalmente implementada.Estudio de cohorte retrospectivo de una base de datos institucional mantenida prospectivamente.Centro académico terciario con una ruta de recuperación mejorada estandarizada completamente implementada durante todo el período del estudio.Se incluyeron todas las resecciones colorrectales mayores electivas consecutivas para indicaciones benignas o malignas entre 2011 y 2016.El íleo postoperatorio se definió como la necesidad de reinserción de la sonda nasogástrica. El manejo del líquido perioperatorio y el resultado quirúrgico se compararon entre los pacientes con íleo y los que no. Los posibles factores de riesgo para el íleo se identificaron mediante regresión logística multinominal.El íleo postoperatorio se ocurrió en 377 (9%) de los 4205 pacientes incluidos al cuarto día (RIC 2-5). Intraoperatoriamente, los pacientes con íleo recibieron 3.2 ± 2.6 L de líquidos, mientras que los pacientes restantes recibieron 2.5 ± 1.7 L (p < 0.001). El aumento de peso fue de 3.8 ± 7.1 kg en pacientes con íleo versus 3 ± 6.6 kg (p = 0.272) en los pacientes restantes en el día postoperatorio 1, 4.4 ± 6.5 kg vs. 3.1 ± 7 kg (p = 0.028) en el día postoperatorio 2 y 1.8 ± 6 kg versus a 0 ± 6 kg al tiempo de alta hospitalaria (p = 0.002). El modelo multivariable que incluye todos los parámetros demográficos, del manejo de líquidos y quirúrgicos significativos (p <0.05) mantuvo líquidos del día 0 después de la operación de> 3L (proporción de probabilidad 1.65, intervalo de confianza del 95% 1.13-2.41, p = 0.009), ganancia de peso de > 2.5 kg en el dia postoperatorio 2 (proporción de probabilidad 1.49, 95% intervalo de confianza 1.01-2.21, p = 0.048) y aparición de complicaciones postoperatorias (proporción de probabilidad 2, 95% intervalo de confianza 1.39-2.9, p <0.001) como factores de riesgo independientes para íleo.Diseño retrospectivo. El manejo de líquidos depende de factores relacionados con el paciente, la enfermedad y la cirugía, y no puede generalizarse ni extrapolarse.La sobrecarga de líquidos y la aparición de complicaciones postoperatorias fueron factores de riesgo independientes para el íleo postoperatorio. Esto requiere medidas para mantener los líquidos perioperatorios por debajo de los umbrales sugeridos. Vea el Video del Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B54.

This study aimed to assess intra- and postoperative outcomes of robotic resection of left-sided complicated diverticular disease. Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained institutional database on consecutive patients undergoing elective robotic resection for diverticular disease (2014-2018). All procedures were performed within an enhanced recovery pathway (ERP). Demographic, surgical and ERP-related items were compared between patients with simple and complicated diverticular disease according to intra-operative presentation. Postoperative complications and length of stay were compared between the two groups. Out of 150 patients, 78 (52%) presented with complicated and the remaining 72 (48%) with uncomplicated disease. Both groups were comparable regarding demographic baseline characteristics and overall ERP compliance. Surgery for complicated disease was longer (288 ± 96 vs. 258 ± 72 min, p = 0.04) and more contaminated (≥ class 3: 57.7 vs. 23.6%, p < 0.001) with a trend to higher conversion rates (10.3 vs. 2.8%, p = 0.1). While postoperative overall complications tended to occur more often after resections for complicated disease (28.2 vs. 15.3%, p = 0.075), major, surgical and medical complications did not differ between the two groups, and median length of stay was 3 days in both settings (p = 0.19). Robotic resection of diverticular disease was feasible and safe regardless of disease presentation by the time of surgery.

Background: The present study aimed to assess the impact of perioperative fluid management on early acute kidney injury (AKI) rate and long-term sequelae in patients undergoing elective colorectal procedures within an enhanced recovery pathway (ERP)., Methods: Retrospective analysis of consecutive patients from a prospectively maintained ERP database (2011-2015) is performed. Pre- and postoperative creatinine levels (within 24 h) were compared according to risk (preoperative creatinine rise ×1.5), injury (×2), failure (×3), loss of kidney function and end-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) criteria. Risk factors for early AKI were identified through logistic regression analysis, and long-term outcome in patients with AKI was assessed., Results: Out of 7103 patients, 4096 patients (58%) with pre- and postoperative creatinine levels were included. Of these, 104 patients (2.5%) presented postoperative AKI. AKI patients received higher amounts of POD 0 fluids (3.8 ± 2.4 vs. 3.2 ± 2 L, p = 0.01) and had increased postoperative weight gain at POD 2 (6 ± 4.9 vs. 3 ± 2.7 kg, p = 0.007). Independent risk factors for AKI were high ASA score (ASA ≥ 3: OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.1-2.5), prolonged operating time (>180 min: OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.3-2.9) and diabetes mellitus (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.5-4), while minimally invasive surgery was a protective factor (OR 0.6; 95% CI 0.4-0.9). Five patients (0.1%) developed chronic kidney disease, and two of them needed dialysis after a mean follow-up of 33.7 ± 22.4 months., Conclusions: Early AKI was very uncommon in the present cohort of colorectal surgery patients treated within an ERP, and long-term sequelae were exceptionally low.

Purpose: Early postoperative urinary catheter removal decreases urinary tract infection (UTI) rate and accelerates patient mobilization. The aim of this study is to determine the results of systematic urinary catheter removal on postoperative day (POD) 1 in patients undergoing rectal resection for cancer., Patients and Methods: Using a prospectively maintained database of 469 patients who underwent rectal resection for cancer, a retrospective review of all patients with urinary catheter removal on POD1 was conducted. Patients unable to void 6 h after catheter removal underwent in and out urinary catheterization (IOC group) and were compared with patients who voided spontaneously (non-IOC group) to determine risk factors for IOC., Results: A total of 417 patients were identified, including 274 (66%) men. Median age was 59 (50-68) years. Abdominoperineal resection (APR) was performed in 134 (32%), and complex surgery with resection of at least one other organ in 72 (17%) patients. Non-IOC and IOC groups included 245 (59%) and 172 (41%) patients, respectively. Five independent predictive factors for IOC were male gender, obesity, history of obstructive urinary disease, APR, and metastatic disease. The cumulative risk of IOC in patients with zero, one, two, and at least three risk factors was 8%, 31%, 52%, and 68% on POD1, and 2%, 12%, 23%, and 30% on POD5, respectively (p < 0.001). Thirteen patients (3%) developed UTI., Conclusions: Early removal of urinary catheter resulted in 59% of patients voiding spontaneously with no need for IOC following rectal resection. Patients without any predictive factors had less than 10% risk of urinary dysfunction.

Although the utilization of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways has become more prevalent, issues of compliance and implementation remain. Limiting the complexity of new ERAS protocols by maintaining the core elements of ERAS, along with the development of complementary protocols (prehabilitation, the perioperative surgical home, and telemedicine) may improve overall uptake and subsequent patient outcomes. The future directions of ERAS should be centered on improving the dissemination of the practice and ongoing expansion of patient care outside the immediate hospital period., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Early re-alimentation is advocated by enhanced recovery pathways (ERP). This study aimed to assess compliance to ERP-set early re-alimentation policy and to compare outcomes of early fed patients and patients in whom early feeding was withhold due to the independent decision making of the surgeon. For this purpose, demographic, surgical and outcome data of all consecutive elective colorectal surgical procedures (2011⁻2016) were retrieved from a prospectively maintained institutional ERP database. The primary endpoint was postoperative ileus (POI). Surgical 30-day outcome and length of stay were compared between patients undergoing the pathway-intended early re-alimentation pattern and patients in whom early re-alimentation was not compliant. Out of the 7103 patients included, 1241 (17.4%) were not compliant with ERP re-alimentation. Patients with delayed re-alimentation presented with more postoperative complications (37 vs. 21%, p < 0.001) and a prolonged length of hospital stay (8 ± 7 vs. 5 ± 4 days, p < 0.001). While male gender (odds ratio (OR) 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04⁻1.32), fluid overload (OR 1.38; 95% CI 1.16⁻1.65) and high American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) score (OR 1.51; 95% CI 1.27⁻1.8) were independent risk factors for POI, laparoscopy (OR 0.51; 95% CI 0.38⁻0.68) and ERP compliant diet (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.36⁻0.6) were both protective. Hence, this study provides further evidence of the beneficial effect of early oral feeding after colorectal surgery.

Hospital-specific electronic health record systems are used to inform clinical practice about best practices and quality improvements. Many surgical centers have developed deterministic clinical decision rules to discover adverse events (e.g. postoperative complications) using electronic health record data. However, these data provide opportunities to use probabilistic methods for early prediction of adverse health events, which may be more informative than deterministic algorithms. Electronic health record data from a set of 9598 colorectal surgery cases from 2010 to 2014 were used to predict the occurrence of selected complications including surgical site infection, ileus, and bleeding. Consistent with previous studies, we find a high rate of missing values for both covariates and complication information (4-90%). Several machine learning classification methods are trained on an 80% random sample of cases and tested on a remaining holdout set. Predictive performance varies by complication, although an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve as high as 0.86 on testing data was achieved for bleeding complications, and accuracy for all complications compares favorably to existing clinical decision rules. Our results confirm that electronic health records provide opportunities for improved risk prediction of surgical complications; however, consideration of data quality and consistency standards is an important step in predictive modeling with such data.

Background: Revisional and reconstructive surgery for IPAA is rare given the high success of pouch surgery for chronic ulcerative colitis. Limited data exist on both surgical and functional outcomes in patients with chronic ulcerative colitis who undergo IPAA revision or reconstruction., Objective: This study aimed to determine the surgical and functional outcome in patients with chronic ulcerative colitis who undergo IPAA revision or reconstruction., Design: A prospectively collected surgical database was accessed for this study., Setting: This study was conducted at an IBD referral center., Patients: Patients with chronic ulcerative colitis who underwent IPAA revision or reconstruction were selected., Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcomes measured were 30-day postoperative outcomes and long-term pouch function., Results: Eighty-one patients were identified. Original IPAA was performed for chronic ulcerative colitis (n = 71; 88%) and indeterminate colitis (n = 11; 12.%), and the most common configuration was a J-pouch (n = 69; 86%) with handsewn anastomosis (n = 41;68%). No independent predictors of 30-day postoperative complications following reconstructive/revisional surgery were identified. Pelvic abscesses and Crohn's disease of the pouch were independently associated with ultimate pouch excision. Median follow-up following revision/reconstruction was 40 months (range, 1-292 months) during which 15 patients (23%) had pouch failure. The 5- and 10-year pouch survival rates following revision were 85 ± 5% and 65 ± 9% by Kaplan-Meier estimation; age <30 years was significantly associated with pouch survival. Long-term function (n = 30; 35%) compared with a matched control cohort of primary IPAA was characterized by significantly increased daytime bowel incontinence (p = 0.0119), liquid stool (p = 0.0062), and medication to thicken stools (p = 0.0452)., Limitations: This was a single-center series, and response rate for functional data was 35%., Conclusions: In properly selected patients with a failing pouch, originally made for chronic ulcerative colitis or indeterminate colitis, revisional and reconstructive surgery is associated with low complication rates, high pouch salvage, and acceptable long-term pouch function. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A640.

Background: Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the preferred surgical treatment for patients with chronic ulcerative colitis. Little is known about the impact of obesity on operative characteristics, short-term postoperative complications and long-term functional outcomes after IPAA., Methods: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing IPAA for chronic ulcerative colitis at a single tertiary referral center between January 2002 and August 2013 was performed. Thirty-day postoperative complications and long-term functional outcomes were analyzed according to body mass index., Results: Nine hundred nine IPAAs (154 obese [body mass index ≥ 30] and 755 not obese [body mass index < 30]) were performed during the study period. For 2-stage IPAA, obese patients were less likely to undergo laparoscopic IPAA (P < 0.0001), had greater estimated blood loss (P = 0.005), and longer operative times (P = 0.02). For 3-stage IPAA, obese patients were less likely to undergo a laparoscopic procedure (P = 0.03), had greater estimated blood loss (P < 0.0001), and longer operative times (P = 0.0002). Postoperatively, obese patients had a longer length of stay after a 2-stage procedure (P = 0.009), an increased rate of superficial surgical site infections (P = 0.003), and an increased rate of urinary tract infections (P = 0.03). Of the 61% (n = 546) of patients with IPAA with long-term (median 5.0 years) follow-up, there were no significant differences in functional outcomes including incontinence, frequency of bowel movements, pad usage, and pouchitis between the groups., Conclusions: Obesity impacts intraoperative complexity and 30-day postoperative outcomes. Long-term functional outcomes are not affected. These findings underscore the need to counsel patients on preoperative weight loss before undergoing elective IPAA.

Background: Ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) is associated with a high 30-day hospital readmission rate. Risk factors and etiology of readmission remain poorly defined. We sought to determine the 30-day hospital readmission rate following IPAA at a high-volume center and identify any modifiable perioperative factors., Methods: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing two- or three-stage IPAA for chronic ulcerative colitis at our institution between 2002 and 2013 was performed. Analysis was performed on rate of readmission, readmission diagnosis, intervention performed upon readmission, and risk factors for readmission., Results: Thirty-day primary and secondary readmission rates after IPAA were 20.3% (n = 185) and 2.1% (n = 19), respectively. The leading etiologies for readmission included partial small bowel obstruction/ileus (n = 52, 21.9%), pelvic sepsis (n = 43, 18.1%), dehydration (n = 42, 17.7%), and venous thromboembolism (n = 31, 13.1%). While the majority of readmissions were managed medically (n = 119, 65.4%), 19.2% (n = 35) required radiologic intervention and 15.3% (n = 28) required a return to the operating room. On univariate analysis, younger age (p = 0.03) and female sex (p = 0.04) had a significantly increased risk of readmission. On multivariable analysis, BMI ≥ 30 (OR 0.51; 95% CI, 0.25-0.97, p = 0.04) was protective of readmission., Conclusions: Thirty-day hospital readmission following IPAA remains a common problem. Preventable etiologies of readmission include dehydration and venous thromboembolism (VTE). Future quality improvement efforts should focus on education regarding stoma output and extended VTE prophylaxis to decrease hospital readmission rates following IPAA.

Background: Enhanced recovery pathways have been shown to improve short-term outcomes after colorectal surgery. Occurrence of complications can lead to prolonged length of stay (LOS). The goal of this study was to examine whether shorter time to occurrence of complications was associated with a shorter hospital LOS in rectal cancer patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery, taking into account the perioperative pathway., Study Design: This retrospective study included consecutive patients undergoing rectal cancer resection from 2005 to 2011 at a single institution. Enhanced recovery pathway was introduced in 2009. Complications and date of occurrence were reviewed. The impact of perioperative care modalities and comorbidities was evaluated using competing risk models with occurrence of complications and LOS as time-dependent outcomes measured as time from surgery., Results: A total of 346 patients were included in the analysis with 78 patients treated with enhanced recovery pathway, and 268 with established care. The overall complication rate was 22.3% (77 patients with ileus, wound infection, leak, abscess, small bowel obstruction, reoperation for bleeding, and renal failure). Median time to occurrence of a complication was 3 days post operation. The time to complication diagnosis was associated with shorter time to discharge after the advent of the complication (hazard ratio = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.73-0.96; p = 0.01). Enhanced recovery pathway was associated with a shorter LOS for patients without complications compared with the established pathway (hazard ratio = 2.81; 95% CI, 2.09-3.78; p < 0.001) after adjusting for comorbidities in a competing risk model., Conclusions: Early diagnosis of postoperative complications is associated with a shorter LOS after rectal cancer surgery. Enhanced recovery pathway can facilitate a faster recovery in the presence of comorbidities., (Copyright © 2014 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Retrorectal sarcomas are rare, and limited data are available on oncologic outcomes following surgery. Our aim was to evaluate outcomes in this patient population at our institution., Materials and Methods: All patients who underwent surgical resection of a malignant retrorectal/presacral sarcoma between 1985 and 2005 were identified. Data analyzed included demographics, histopathologic diagnosis, surgical morbidity and mortality, use of adjuvant therapy, local and distant recurrence, and survival., Results: A total of 37 patients were identified (20 males) with a median age of 49 years (range, 22-81 years). The most common histopathologic diagnosis was malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (n = 8). Also, 22 tumors were high grade and 15 were low grade. Surgical margin status was R0 in 31 patients and R1 in 6. Adjuvant therapy was given to 26 patients. Postoperative morbidity and mortality was 57% and 3%, respectively. Median length of follow-up in 16 patients alive at last contact was 4.7 years. The 5-year survival free of local (LDFS), distant (DDFS), and local or distant recurrence (DFS) was 51, 58, and 39%, respectively. Patient survival at 2, 5, and 10 years was 75, 55, and 47%, respectively. Disease-free survival was not significantly associated with gender (P = .16), primary vs secondary (P = .94), R0 vs R1 resection (P = .26), low vs high tumor grade (P = .17), or the use of surgery with or without adjuvant therapy (P = .33)., Conclusions: Retrorectal sarcomas are often high grade and locally advanced. Most tumors are resectable with free margins, and long-term survival may be possible in up to one-half of patients following an aggressive surgical approach.

Background: There have been numerous studies with conflicting results regarding the use of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy and its relationship to postoperative outcome in Crohn disease. The aim of our study was to examine the rate of postoperative morbidity in patients receiving anti TNF therapy in the perioperative period., Methods: All patients undergoing surgery for Crohn disease from 2005 till 2008 were abstracted from a prospective database. Patients undergoing surgery which included a suture or staple line at risk for leaking were selected for the study. A retrospective review of medical records was performed. The study group comprised patients treated with perioperative anti TNF therapy (defined as treatment within 8 weeks preoperatively or up to 30 days postoperatively). The remainder of the patients did not receive perioperative anti TNF therapy. Patient characteristics, disease severity, medication use, operative intervention and 30-day complication were compared between the two groups., Results: Three hundred and seventy patients were selected for analysis in this study, of which 119 received perioperative anti TNF therapy and 251 did not. The groups were similar in baseline characteristics, perioperative risk factors and procedures. The group who received perioperative anti TNF therapy had a more severe disease overall as measured by the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) categories of disease (50% severe fulminant disease in the perioperative anti-TNF therapy group versus 18% in the group that did not receive perioperative anti-TNF therapy, p < 0.001). There was no significant association of perioperative anti TNF therapy and any postoperative complications (27.9% in anti-TNF group versus 30.1% in no anti-TNF group, p = 0.63) nor intra-abdominal infectious complications (5.0% in anti-TNF group versus 7.2% in no anti-TNF group, p = 0.44). Univariate analysis showed that the only factors associated with an increase in postoperative intra-abdominal infections were age and penetrating disease., Conclusions: The use of anti-TNF therapy in the perioperative period is safe and is not associated with an increase in overall or infectious complications in Crohn disease patients undergoing surgery.

Purpose: This study was designed to assess the impact of pelvic radiotherapy on the incidence of complications and colostomy-free survival of patients after a coloanal anastomosis for rectal cancer., Methods: A total of 192 patients underwent a coloanal anastomosis between 1982 and 2001: 87 patients did not receive pelvic radiotherapy; 105 patients received pelvic radiotherapy (39 preoperative and 66 postoperative). Early and late complications requiring surgical intervention and the colostomy-free survival rate were assessed by retrospective review of patient records., Results: After a median follow-up of 62 months, 151 patients were alive. The most frequent complication was development of an anastomotic stricture (5-year rate of a stricture, 16 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, 10-21). Patients receiving pelvic radiotherapy had a higher rate of complications other than anastomotic strictures, including fecal incontinence, fistulas, abscesses, and bowel obstructions compared with patients not receiving pelvic radiotherapy (5-year rate: 20 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 10-29) vs. 5 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 0-10); P = 0.001). Patients receiving pelvic radiotherapy had a lower colostomy-free survival than did patients not receiving pelvic radiotherapy (5-year colostomy-free rate: 72 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 62-84) vs. 92 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 86-98); P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the colostomy-free survival of patients receiving preoperative and postoperative pelvic radiotherapy., Conclusions: After coloanal anastomosis, a significant number of patients will have complications requiring surgical intervention, and some will require a permanent colostomy. Pelvic radiotherapy, whether it is administered preoperatively or postoperatively, significantly increases the need for a permanent colostomy.

Background: Total proctocolectomy and ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the preferred operation for patients with chronic ulcerative colitis (CUC) refractory to medical therapy. Infliximab (IFX), an antitumor necrosis factor-alpha antibody, has demonstrated efficacy in medical management of CUC. The aim of this study is to determine if IFX before IPAA impacts short-term outcomes., Study Design: A prospective institutional database was retrospectively reviewed for short-term complications after IPAA for CUC. Postoperative outcomes were compared between patients who received pre-IPAA IFX and those who did not., Results: Between 2002 and 2005, 47 patients received IFX before IPAA, and 254 patients received none. There were no gender (p = 0.16) or body mass index (p = 0.07) differences between groups. IFX patients were younger than non-IFX patients (mean age 28.1 to 39.3 years) (p < 0.001). In IFX patients, 70% were receiving preoperative IFX, azathioprine, and corticosteroids. Mortality was nil. Overall surgical morbidity was similar: 61.7% and 48.8%, IFX and non-IFX, respectively (p = 0.10). Anastomotic leaks (p = 0.02), pouch-specific (p = 0.01) and infectious (p < 0.01) complications were more common in IFX patients. Multivariable analysis revealed IFX as the only factor independently associated with infectious complications (odds ratio [OR] = 3.5; CI, 1.6-7.5). In a separate analysis, incorporating age, high-dose corticosteroids, azathioprine, and severity of colitis, IFX remained significantly associated with infectious complications (OR = 2.7; CI, 1.1-6.7)., Conclusions: CUC patients treated with IFX before IPAA have substantially increased the odds of postoperative pouch-related and infectious complications. Additional prospective studies are required to determine if IFX alone or other factors contribute to the observed increases in infectious complications.

Purpose: Prostate cancer (PCa) radiotherapy (RT), including brachytherapy, may lead to significant morbidity, including urinary fistulas. If conservative measures fail, urinary and/or fecal diversion is often required. In this study we examined a series of patients with fistulas that developed after pelvic radiation therapy and explored potential predisposing factors and treatment recommendations for refractory fistulas., Materials and Methods: Patients were identified who received radiation therapy for PCa between 1977 and 2002, and subsequently had a fistula to the urinary tract. Patients were excluded who had diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, a history of recent radical retropubic prostatectomy (possible iatrogenic etiology) or cancer in the excised fistula. Data were extracted from patient charts, mailed questionnaires and outside records., Results: A total of 51 patients were identified with a history of radiation for PCa who subsequently had a urinary fistula. Of 20 patients meeting inclusion criteria 30% received external beam RT alone, 30% received brachytherapy and 40% received combined external beam RT/brachytherapy. Most fistulas (80%) were from the rectum to the urinary tract with an average diameter of 3.2 cm. Of patients with rectal fistulas 81% had a history of rectal stricture, urethral stricture, rectal biopsy, rectal argon beam therapy or transurethral prostate resection after radiation. All patients with rectourethral fistulas who achieved symptomatic resolution required urinary and fecal diversion., Conclusions: Conservative treatment is generally ineffective in the management of large urinary fistulas. Surgical intervention offers symptomatic relief and improved quality of life in most patients.

Hypothesis Functional outcome and quality of life in older patients (>55 years) undergoing ileal pouch–anal anastomosis (IPAA) for ulcerative colitis or familial adenomatous polyposis have been incompletely studied. Our aim was to update our understanding on how the age of the patient at the time of surgery influences functional outcome and quality of life after IPAA. Methods From January 1, 1981, to December 31, 2000, two thousand two patients who underwent IPAA were studied. Patients were grouped by age at operation: 45 years or younger (n = 1688), between 46 and 55 years (n = 249), and older than 55 years (n = 65). Mean age was 33.5 years. Postoperative complications, function, and quality of life were assessed with a questionnaire administered annually. Results Follow-up for patients older than 55 years was a mean ± SD of 8.1 ± 4.8 years. Overall, follow-up was a mean of 10.1 ± 5.7 years. The pouch failure rate for patients older than 55 years was 1.6% at 10 years. No statistically significant difference in pouch failure between age groups was observed. Overall, frequent daytime and nighttime incontinence, respectively, occurred in 5.6% and 13.3% of the patients at 10 years. Incontinence was more common in older patients (P = .002 at 3 years). Quality of life as assessed by social activities, work, travel, sexual activity, family relationships, and sports and recreation was not significantly different among age groups. Most patients felt that their condition had improved or that they had no restrictions after IPAA. Conclusions Postoperative complications after surgery seem to be unrelated to age at the time of surgery. Although incontinence may occur more frequently in older patients, IPAA does not adversely affect quality of life in patients older than 55 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]