John R. Oakley

Ileal pouch-anal anastomoses complications and function in 1005 patients.

BackgroundRestorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) has become an established surgery for patients with chronic ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis. PurposeThe authors report the results of an 11-year experience of restorative proctocolectomy and IPAA at a tertiary referral center. MethodsChart review was performed for 1005 patients undergoing IPAA from 1983 through 1993. Preoperative histopathologic diagnoses were ulcerative colitis (n = 858), familial adenomatous polyposis (n = 62), indeterminate colitis (n = 75), and miscellaneous (n = 10). Information was obtained regarding patient demographics, type and duration of diseases, previous operations, and indications for surgery. Data were collected on surgical procedure and postoperative pathologic diagnosis. Early (within 30 days after surgery) and late complications were noted. Follow-up included an annual function and quality-of-life questionnaire, physical examination, and biopsies of the pouch and anal transitional zone. ResultsOf the 1005 patients (455 women), postoperative histopathologic diagnoses were as follows: ulcerative colitis (n = 812), familial adenomatous polyposis (n = 62), indeterminate colitis (n = 54), Crohns disease (n = 67), and miscellaneous (n = 10). During a mean follow-up time of 35 months (range 1–125 months), histopathologic diagnoses were changed for 25 patients. The overall mortality rate was 1% (n = 10 patients, early = 4, late = 6); one death (0.1%) was related to pouch necrosis and sepsis. The overall morbidity rate was 62.7% (1218 complications in 630 patients; early, n - 27.5%; late, n = 50.5%). Septic complication and reoperation rates were 6.8% and 24%, respectively. The ileal pouch was removed in 34 patients (3.4%), and it is nonfunctional in 11 (1%). Functional results and quality of life were good to excellent in 93% of the patients with complete data (n = 645) and are similar for patients with ulcerative colitis, familial adenomatous polyposis, indeterminate colitis, and Crohns disease. Patients who underwent operations from 1983 through 1988 have similar functional results and quality of life compared with patients who underwent operations after 1988.

Effect of resection margins on the recurrence of Crohn's disease in the small bowel: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE The authors assess the effect of surgical margin width on recurrence rates after intestinal resection of Crohns Disease (CD). BACKGROUND The optimal width of margins when resecting DC of the small bowel is controversial. Most studies have been retrospective and have had conflicting results. METHODS Patients undergoing ileocolic resection for CD (N = 152) were randomly assigned to two groups in which the proximal line of resection was 2 cm (limited resection) or 12 cm (extended resection) from the macroscopically involved area. Patients also were classified by whether the margin of resection was microscopically normal (category 1), contained nonspecific changes (category 2), were suggestive but not diagnostic for CD (category 3), or were diagnostic for CD (category 4). Recurrence was defined as reoperation for recurrent preanastomotic disease. RESULTS Data were collected on 131 patients. Median follow-up time was 55.7 months. Disease recurred in 29 patients: 25% of patients in the limited resection group and 18% of patients in the extended resection group. In the 90 patients in category 1 with normal tissue, recurrence occurred in 16, whereas in the 41 patients with some degree of microscopic involvement, recurrence occurred in 13. Recurrence rates were 36% in category 2, 39% in category 3, and 21% in category 4. No group differences were statistically at the 0.01 level. CONCLUSION Recurrence of CD is unaffected by the width of the margin of resection from macroscopically involved bowel. Recurrence rates also do not increase when microscopic CD is present at the resection margins. Therefore, extensive resection margins are unnecessary.

Manometric and functional comparison of ileal pouch anal anastomosis with and without anal manipulation

We report the results of postoperative physiologic and functional evaluation of 153 patients with ileal pouch anal-anastomosis (IPAA). Ninety-nine patients had anal manipulation for either mucosal proctectomy, transanal placement pursestring suture with stapled IPAA, or handsewn IPAA (manipulation). Fifty-four patients had stapled IPAA with anal pursestrings placed transabdominally without mucosectomy (no manipulation). Patients with transabdominal anal pursestring placement and stapled IPAA without mucosectomy had a higher mean maximum anal resting pressure than patients who had endoanal manipulation. This correlates with improved continence and a reduced need to wear a pad. Avoidance of anal manipulation preserves anal canal resting tone and improves the functional result after IPAA.

Noncytotoxic drug therapy for intra-abdominal desmoid tumor in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis

Forty of 416 patients with familial adenomatous polyposis were noted to have intra-abdominal desmoid tumors, and a subgroup of 16 were treated with noncytotoxic drug therapy. Drugs used were sulindac (14 patients), sulindac plus tamoxifen (3 patients), indomethacin (4 patients), tamoxifen (4 patients), progesterone (DEPO-PROVERA®; Upjohn Co., Kalamazoo, MI) (2 patients), and testolactone (1 patient). Therapy with these drugs for continuous periods of six months or more resulted in three complete and seven partial remissions. When treated patients were compared with untreated patients (n=12), there were significant benefits for the treated group, both in reduction of desmoid size and in improvement of symptoms, despite the inherent selection bias against this. Sulindac was the only drug used in enough patients to permit independent evaluation of its effect, with one complete and seven partial reductions of tumor size. Some patients had a delayed response to sulindac, with tumor shrinkage occurring after an initial period of tumor enlargement. When using sulindac for the treatment of desmoid tumors, this phenomenon should be considered.

Omission of temporary diversion in restorative proctocolectomy — Is it safe?

PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to evaluate the safety and functional outcome of restorative proctocolectomy (RP) without diversion. METHODS: Fifty patients underwent RP without diversion for ulcerative colitis (82 percent), familial adenomatous polyposis (12 percent), and indeterminate colitis (6 percent). The perioperative course and functional outcome of these patients were compared with another group of 50 patients undergoing RP with diverting ileostomy during the same time period (1989–1991) and closely matched for age, gender, surgeon, diagnosis, extent and duration (median, 10 years) of colitis, prior colectomy (∼22 percent), steroid use (40 percent), type of pouch, distance of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis from the dentate line (median, 1.5 cm), and the duration of follow-up (median, 12 months). All patients had a stapled ileal pouch-anal anastomosis without mucosectomy and a smooth conduct of the operation. RESULTS: There was no operative mortality. Anastomotic leaks and pelvic abscess were more common in patients without ileostomy (7/50 or 14 percentvs.2/50 or 4 percent); 8 of these 9 patients were taking ≥20 mg of prednisone/day. Septic complications requiring relaparotomy (6 percentvs.0 percent), prolonged ileus, and fever of unknown origin (10 percentvs.4 percent) were also more common in patients without ileostomy. Despite similar functional results at 6 weeks and at 12 months after initial pouch function, patients without ileostomy had a poorer quality of life index (5vs.8; 10 being best) in the early period (0–6 weeks) of pouch function. CONCLUSION: In equally favorable cases, RP without diversion is not as safe as RP with diversion, especially in patients taking ≥20 mg of prednisone/day.

Gastroduodenal polyps in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis

A review of the endoscopy reports and pathology results from esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) of all patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) undergoing such an examination was performed. Two hundred fortyseven patients were identified, with an overall prevalence of duodenal adenomas of 66 percent and of fundic gland polyps of 61 percent. Analysis of our more recent experience (1986 to 1990) shows the prevalence to be 88 percent and 84 percent, respectively. A normal-appearing papilla was adenomatous in 50 percent of cases. No case of periampullary carcinoma developed in patients under surveillance. Routine EGD is indicated for patients with FAP. Duodenal adenomas and fundic gland polyps will occur in the majority of patients.

Long-term follow-up of strictureplasty in Crohn's disease

Because Crohns disease of the small bowel is often diffuse, strictureplasty has been advocated as an alternative or adjunct to resection(s) of strictured segments. We reviewed 116 patients with obstructive Crohns disease undergoing 452 primary strictureplasties (Heineke-Mikulicz, 405; Finney, 47). The median age was 34 years (range, 13–72 years); the male-to-female ratio 1.4∶1; and the median follow-up was three years (range, six months to seven years). Seventy-six patients (66 percent) had at least one previous small bowel resection. Perforative disease was present in 18 patients (15 percent), and synchronous resections were performed in 71 patients (61 percent). The median number of strictureplasties was three (range, 1–15). There was no mortality. Septic complications (intra-abdominal abscess/fistula) occurred in seven patients (6 percent), and reoperation for sepsis was needed in two patients. Relief of obstructive symptoms was achieved in 99 percent of the patients. After surgery, the median weight gain was 4 kg, and two-thirds of the patients were weaned off steroids. Symptomatic recurrence occurred in 28 patients (24 percent), and 17 patients (15 percent) needed reoperation. Rates of restricture and new stricture/perforative disease were 2.8 percent and 24 percent, respectively.

Clinical conundrum of solitary rectal ulcer

A retrospective study of 80 patients with biopsy-proven solitary rectal ulcer (SRU) was conducted to review its clinical spectrum. The median follow-up was 25 months. The female-to-male ratio was 1.4∶1.0, and the mean age was 48.7 years (range, 14–76 years). Principal symptoms were bowel disturbances (74 percent) and rectal bleeding (56 percent). Twenty-one patients (26 percent) were asymptomatic and required no treatment. A previous “wrong” diagnosis was made in 25 percent. Rectal prolapse was identified in 28 percent (full-thickness, 15 percent; mucosal, 13 percent). The macroscopic appearance of the lesion seen in SRU varied widely and included polypoid lesions in 44 percent (the predominant finding in the asymptomatic group), ulcerated lesions in 29 percent (always symptomatic), and edematous, nonulcerated, hyperemic mucosa in 27 percent. Anorectal manometry provided little helpful information in the patients in whom it was performed. Management by bulk laxatives and bowel retraining led to symptomatic improvement in 19 percent of cases. In 29 percent of cases, symptoms persisted despite endoscopic healing of the lesion. Intractability of symptoms led to surgery in only 27 (34 percent) patients. Depending on the presence or absence of rectal prolapse, rectopexy or a conservative local procedure (such as local excision), respectively, appeared to be the optimal surgical treatment. The polypoid variety tended to respond to therapy more favorably than non-polypoid varieties. Thus, the macroscopic appearance of SRU has a significant bearing on the clinical course, and most cases do not require surgery.

Similar functional results after restorative proctocolectomy in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis and mucosal ulcerative colitis

Restorative proctocolectomy (RP) is generally considered to achieve better results in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) than in those with mucosal ulcerative colitis (MUC). We studied 39 pairs of patients (FAP versus MUC), individually matched for surgeon (n = 4), types of ileal pouch (19 S-pouches and 20 J-pouches), technique of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (21 stapled, 18 handsewn with mucosectomy), duration of follow-up after pouch function (median: 32 months; range: 6 months to 8.5 years), age (median: 30 years; range: 12 to 60 years), and gender (male-to-female ratio: 1.4:1.0). The median duration of operation (3.2 hours), hospital stay (9 days), and the amount of blood loss (about 650 mL) were similar between the two groups. The patients in the MUC group tended to have a higher overall complication rate (28% versus 21%) and more pouch-related septic complications (13% versus 8%, p = 0.6 by chi 2 analysis). Functional results were similar for daytime (median: 5 per day) and nighttime (median: 1 per night) stool frequency and the median duration that defecation could be deferred (median: about 1.5 hours). Perfect continence was present in 34 (87%) patients during the day and in 19 (49%) patients during the night in each group. The use of antidiarrheal medications did not differ between the two groups. According to an analogue scale (from 1 to 10, with 10 being best), the quality of life and health and satisfaction with outcome (median score: 9) were identical between the groups. Thus, in closely matched groups of patients with FAP and MUC, the functional outcome after RP was similar. However, pouchitis was more common in the MUC group (33% versus 10%, p < 0.05 by chi 2 analysis).

Ripstein procedure is an effective treatment for rectal prolapse without constipation.

The operation of choice for complete rectal prolapse is controversial. We reviewed 169 patients undergoing 185 surgical procedures for rectal prolapse over a 27-year period. The most common surgical procedure employed was the Ripstein procedure (n=142) and is the focus of this report. Other surgical procedures used included resection rectopexy (n=18), anterior resection (n=7), Altemeiers (n=9), Delormes (n=2), and anal encirclement (n=7). The median age was 59 years (range, 12–94 years), and the female-to-male ratio was 5∶1. The incidence of fecal incontinence, solitary rectal ulcer syndrome, and prior surgery elsewhere for rectal prolapse was 40 percent, 12 percent, and 19 percent, respectively. Operative mortality was 0.6 percent; morbidity was 16 percent. Median follow-up was 4.2 years (range, 1–15 years). Complete recurrence of prolapse after the Ripstein procedure was 8 percent; one-third of these patients recurred 3 to 14 years after surgery. Fecal incontinence improved after the Ripstein procedure or resection rectopexy in about half the patients. Persistence of prior constipation was more common after the Ripstein procedure than after resection rectopexy (57 percentvs.17 percent;P=0.03, chi-squared). Fifteen patients developed constipation for the first time after the Ripstein procedure. About one in three patients, irrespective of surgical procedures, remained dissatisfied with the final outcome despite anatomic correction of the prolapse. The Ripstein procedure has proven to be a safe procedure with good anatomic repair of the prolapse and may improve continence. In the presence of constipation, procedures other than the Ripstein procedure may be preferable.