Harden Huang

Oncologic outcome in patients with ulcerative colitis associated with dyplasia or cancer who underwent stapled or handsewn ileal pouch-anal anastomosis.

PURPOSE: Ulcerative colitis is a risk factor for colorectal cancer. Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is a standard surgical management of patients with ulcerative colitis who have cancer or dysplasia, but the oncologic risk of stapled anastomosis vs mucosectomy with handsewn anastomosis is debated. We compare the risk of new cancer or recurrence in the pouch or rectal cuff in patients with ulcerative colitis undergoing stapled anastomosis vs mucosectomy with handsewn anastomosis. METHODS: This study was performed as a retrospective analysis of the clinical database at a single center, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada. The patients with ulcerative colitis associated with colorectal dysplasia or cancer who underwent ileal pouch-anal anastomosis between 1981 and 2009 were evaluated. The development of dysplasia or cancer at ileoanal anastomosis or in the pelvic pouch was assessed. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients underwent stapled (n = 59) or handsewn (n = 22) ileal pouch-anal anastomosis; 52 had evidence of dysplasia and 29 had colorectal cancer (24 colon; 5 rectum) at the time of surgery. Median follow-up was 76.1 months. Two of 10 (20%) patients with handsewn anastomosis and 0% patients with stapled anastomosis developed metastatic cancer. One patient with a 33-year history of colitis, a previously resected right-sided colon cancer, and subsequent high-grade dysplasia in the rectum underwent a handsewn pelvic pouch and developed an unresectable adenocarcinoma at the cuff 4 years later. A second patient with a 10-year history of colitis underwent handsewn pelvic pouch and developed dysplasia in the pouch 8 years after surgery. Nine patients were dead at last follow-up (11%). Of those patients, both colorectal cancer-related deaths were in patients with handsewn anastomoses. Differences in overall 5-year survival between the groups did not reach statistical significance. This study was limited by the sample size in subgroups and the few outcome events. CONCLUSIONS: Performing a stapled ileal pelvic anal anastomosis does not appear to be inferior to mucosectomy and handsewn anastomosis in oncologic outcome, and it seems appropriate in patients with ulcerative colitis associated with coexisting dysplasia or cancer.

Favorable pathologic and long-term outcomes from the conventional approach to abdominoperineal resection.

BACKGROUND: Suboptimal oncologic outcomes from abdominoperineal resection have been related to high rates of circumferential margin involvement. The extralevator approach has gained popularity as a means of reducing circumferential margin involvement, but it remains unknown whether comparable outcomes are achievable with a conventional approach to abdominoperineal resection. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the rate of circumferential margin involvement, to identify factors predictive for a positive circumferential margin, and to relate these findings to long-term outcomes. DESIGN: This is a retrospective analysis of a prospective clinical database. SETTINGS: This study was conducted at a single center, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto. PATIENTS: Patients were included who underwent abdominoperineal resection for low rectal adenocarcinoma between 1997 and 2006. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measures included the rate of circumferential margin involvement, local recurrence, and disease-free survival. RESULTS: A total of 115 patients underwent abdominoperineal resection for primary adenocarcinoma of the rectum. A positive circumferential margin was demonstrated in 18 patients (15.7%). Intraoperative perforations occurred in 7 patients (6.1%). Tumors located anteriorly had a higher rate of circumferential margin involvement (31.6%) compared with lateral (13%), posterior (10%), and circumferential tumors (0%) (P = .024). This finding was reflected by a reduced median distance to the circumferential margin in anterior tumors. Curative resections (n = 108) were followed up for a median of 55.5 months. The 5-year local recurrence rate was 10.6% and the 5-year disease-free survival was 67.4%. Cox regression analysis revealed that circumferential margin involvement was an independent predictor for local recurrence; and T-category, N-category, and circumferential margin involvement for disease-free survival. LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by its sample size and the number of outcome events. CONCLUSIONS: The conventional approach to abdominoperineal resection can produce oncologic outcomes comparable to the extralevator approach. However, the rate of circumferential margin involvement is higher than in restorative procedures and may be related to difficulties in obtaining adequate clearance in anterior tumors.

Long-term outcome of colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis for Crohn's colitis.

BACKGROUND: Ileorectal anastomosis is an important surgical option for patients with Crohns colitis with relative rectal sparing. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to audit outcomes of ileorectal anastomosis for Crohns and factors associated with proctectomy and reoperation. DESIGN: This retrospective study involved a chart review and contacting patients. SETTINGS: Patients with Crohns colitis who had an ileorectal anastomosis were identified from the Mount Sinai Hospital Inflammatory Bowel Disease Database. PATIENTS: Demographics, operative and perioperative outcomes, and reoperative data were collected. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Five- and 10-year Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for survival from proctectomy and Crohns-related revisional surgery. Cox proportional hazards models were used to model the hazards of proctectomy and Crohns-related revision on the clinical characteristics of patients. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients had an ileorectal anastomosis for Crohns disease from 1982 to 2010. The most common indications for surgery were failed medical management (60/81, 74.1%) and a stricture causing obstruction (14/81, 17.3%). Seventy-seven percent (n = 62) had a 1-stage procedure, whereas 23% (n = 19) had a 2-stage procedure (colectomy followed by ileorectal anastomosis). The overall anastomotic leak rate was 7.4% (n = 6). Fifty-six patients had a functioning ileorectal anastomosis at the time of follow-up. At 5 and 10 years, 87% (95% CI: 75.5–93.3) and 72.2% (95% CI: 55.8–83.4) of individuals had a functioning ileorectal anastomosis. Eighteen patients required proctectomy for poor symptom control, whereas 11 patients required a small-bowel resection plus redo-ileorectal anastomosis. The mean time to proctectomy from the original ileorectal anastomosis was 88.3 months (SD = 62.1). Smoking was associated with both proctectomy (HR 3.93 (95% CI: 1.46–10.55)) and reoperative surgery (HR 2.12 (95% CI: 0.96–4.72)). LIMITATIONS: This study was retrospective. CONCLUSIONS: Ileorectal anastomosis is an appropriate operation for selected patients with Crohns colitis with sparing of the rectum. However, patients must be counseled that the reoperation rate and/or proctectomy rate is approximately 30%.

Strictureplasty in selected Crohn's disease patients results in acceptable long-term outcome.

BACKGROUND:Strictureplasty is an alternative to resection in patients with Crohn’s disease. OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term results of patients who have undergone strictureplasty. DESIGN:This is a retrospective cohort study. SETTING:This study was conducted at a tertiary referral center, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. PATIENTS:All patients who had a strictureplasty of the small bowel between 1985 and 2010 were identified from a prospective database. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:The main outcomes were short-term complications, need for further surgery, and surgery-free survival. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine factors affecting the need for further surgery. Quality of life was measured by use of the short version of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire. RESULTS:Ninety-four patients (42 women; age at first strictureplasty, 33.4 ± 9.7 years) underwent 119 operations (range per patient, 1–4). The number of strictureplasties was 278 (range, 1–11), including 9 in the duodenum and 269 in the jejunum-ileum. The most common type of procedure was the Heineke-Mickulicz (258, 92.8%). Median follow-up of the patients was 94 months (interquartile range, 27–165 months). The surgery-free survival at 5 and 10 years was 70.7% (95% CI 59.8, 81.7) and 26.6% (95% CI 13.6, 39.6). In multivariate analysis, only age at the time of first strictureplasty was associated with the need for further surgery. Fifty-seven (64.8%) patients returned the questionnaire. The average score was 5.2 ± 1.2 (range, 2.2–7.0) with no significant differences between patients with or without previous surgery (p = 0.22), with or without simultaneous resection (p = 0.71) or with or without further surgery (p = 0.11). LIMITATIONS:This study was limited by its sample size and retrospective design. CONCLUSIONS:Strictureplasty is a safe procedure with acceptable long-term outcomes. The risk of needing further surgery is high, which reflects the complexity of this disease. Younger age is associated with a higher risk of need for further surgery. However, most patients have a satisfactory quality of life.

Proctocolectomy for colorectal cancer—is the ileal pouch anal anastomosis a safe alternative to permanent ileostomy?

PurposeIleal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the procedure of choice in patients requiring surgery for ulcerative colitis (UC) and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). There are few data on reconstruction with the IPAA in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). This study assessed the outcomes of the IPAA compared to proctocolectomy and permanent ileostomy (PI) on these patients.MethodsBetween 1983 and 2013, over 2800 patients with CRC have been treated at the Mount Sinai Hospital (MSH). Demographic, surgical, pathological, and outcome data for all patients have been maintained in a database—73 patients were treated for CRC with proctocolectomy: 39 patients with IPAA and 34 patients with PI. Clinical features, pathologic findings, and survival outcomes were compared between these groups.ResultsEach group was similar with respect to gender, stage, and histologic grade. Patients undergoing IPAA were significantly younger. The diagnosis leading to proctocolectomy was more commonly UC or FAP in patients treated with IPAA (39/39 vs. 23/34, p = 0.001). Rectal cancer subgroups were similar in age, sex, TNM stage, T-stage, height of tumor, and histologic grade. There was no significant difference in overall or disease free survival between groups for colon or rectal primaries. Analysis using the Cochran-Armitage trend test suggests that utilization of IPAA has increased over time (p = 0.002).ConclusionsThe IPAA is a viable and safe option to select for patients who would otherwise require PI. Increased experience and improved outcomes following IPAA has led to its more liberal use in selected patients.