Tom Schroeder

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.

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.

Endoluminal ultrasound is preferable to electromyography in mapping anal sphincteric defects

Assessment of complex sphincteric defects in patients with fecal incontinence by digital rectal examination and intraoperative dissection can be difficult in the presence of excessive scarring. Adjunctive investigation such as endoluminal ultrasound (ELUS) and needle electromyography (EMG) may provide objective evidence of the nature and extent of the sphincteric defects. In a series of 11 patients, ELUS of the anal canal with a 10-MHz transducer (focal zone of 1–4 cm) accurately detected defects in the external anal sphincter (EAS) in seven of seven patients, defects in the internal anal sphincter (IAS) in eight of eight patients, and integrity of both sphincters in two patients. These findings were confirmed by needle EMG of the EAS alone in five patients, by operative findings at a perineal sphincteroplasty operation in six patients, and by both in two patients. ELUS was associated with less pain than was needle EMG (pain score 4vs. 10, 10 being most painful) and provided high-resolution radial images of both the EAS and the IAS. Thus, ELUS seems preferable to EMG in mapping anal sphincteric defects and can be a useful anatomic adjunct to physiologic studies of anorectal function in patients with fecal incontinence.

Congenital Hypertrophy of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

One hundred fifty-three members of 56 kindreds with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) underwent funduscopic examination for congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (CHRPE). All patients underwent wide-angle fundus photography to document lesions, proctosigmoidoscopy to document polyps, and examination for extracolonic manifestations. Ninety-seven patients were diagnosed as having FAP and 56 patients were offspring of FAP patients and thus at 50% risk of inheriting the disease. In two thirds of the kindreds, CHRPE could be used as a congenital phenotypic marker to predict the presence or development of polyps. In these kindreds, all patients with diagnosed FAP and 39% of the patients at risk had at least four CHRPE lesions. In one third of the kindreds, CHRPE could not be used as a predictive congenital marker, and in these kindreds all patients had zero to three total lesions of CHRPE. The presence of CHRPE did not correlate with any other extracolonic manifestations. In kindreds without any other extracolonic manifestations, CHRPE can still be present and can be used as a predictive congenital phenotypic marker.

Vaginal delivery after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis : A word of caution

PURPOSEThis study was designed to evaluate the impact of childbirth on anal sphincter integrity and function, functional outcome, and quality of life in females with restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis.METHODSThe patients who had at least one live birth after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis were asked to return for a comprehensive assessment. They were asked to complete the following questionnaires: the Short Form-36, Cleveland Global Quality of Life scale, American Society of Colorectal Surgeons fecal incontinence severity index, and time trade-off method. Additionally, anal sphincter integrity (endosonography) and manometric pressures were measured by a medical physician blinded to the delivery technique. Anal sphincter physiology also was evaluated with electromyography and pudendal nerve function by nerve terminal motor latency technique.RESULTSOf 110 eligible females who had at least one live birth after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis, 57 participated in the study by returning for clinical evaluation to the clinic and 25 others by returning the quality of life and functional outcome questionnaires. Patients were classified into two groups: patients who had only cesarean section delivery after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (n = 62) and patients who had at least one vaginal delivery after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (n = 20). The mean follow-up from the date of the most recent delivery was 4.9 years. The vaginal delivery group had significantly higher incidence of an anterior sphincter defect by anal endosonography (50 percent) vs. cesarean section delivery group (13 percent; P = 0.012). The mean squeeze anal pressure was significantly higher in the patients who had only cesarean section delivery (150 mmHg) after restorative proctocolectomy than patients who had at least one vaginal delivery (120 mmHg) after restorative proctocolectomy (P = 0.049). Quality of life evaluated by time trade-off method also was significantly better in the cesarean section delivery group (1) vs. vaginal delivery group (0.9; P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONSThe risk of the sphincter injury and quality of life measured by time trade-off method are significantly worse after vaginal delivery compared with cesarean section in patients with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. In the short-term, this does not seem to substantially influence pouch function or quality of life; however, the long-term effects remain unknown, thus obstetric concern may not be the only factor dictating the type of delivery in this group of patients. A planned cesarean section may eliminate these potential and factual concerns in ileal pouch-anal anastomosis patients.

Anal manometric parameters: predictors of outcome following anal sphincter repair?

Controversy exists over the utility of manometry in the management of fecal incontinence. In light of newer methods for the management of fecal incontinence demonstrating favorable results, this study was designed to evaluate manometric parameters relative to functional outcome following overlapping sphincteroplasty. Twenty women, 29 to 84 years of age (mean age 50 years), with severe fecal incontinence and large (≥50%) sphincter defects on ultrasound were studied. All participants underwent anal manometry (mean resting pressure, mean squeeze pressure, anal canal length, compliance), pudendal nerve terminal motor latency (PNTML) testing, and completed the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons fecal incontinence severity index (FISI) survey before and 6 weeks after sphincter repair. Statistical analysis for all data included the Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Mann-Whitney test, and Spearman’s correlation. Significant perioperative improvement was seen in the absolute resting and squeeze pressures and anal canal length. Overlapping sphincteroplasty was also associated with significant improvement in fecal incontinence scores (FISI 36 vs. 16.4; P = 0.0001). Although no single preoperative manometric parameter was able to predict outcome following sphincteroplasty, preoperative mean resting and squeeze pressures as well as anal canal length inversely correlated with the relative changes in these parameters achieved postoperatively. These findings suggest that either the physiologic parameters studied are not predictive of functional outcome or the scoring system used is ineffective in determining function. The perioperative paradoxical changes in resting pressure, squeeze pressure, and anal canal length would support the use of overlapping sphincteroplasty in patients with significant sphincter defects and poor anal tone.

Safety of urgent restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for fulminant colitis

PURPOSE: Subtotal colectomy with ileostomy is the operation of choice for patients with fulminant colitis. Restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is preferred for patients who undergo elective surgery for ulcerative colitis. We retrospectively evaluated the safety of RPC with IPAA in patients with a moderate form of fulminant colitis. METHODS: A chart review of 737 patients who underwent RPC with IPAA for ulcerative and indeterminate colitis from 1983 through 1992 was performed. Moderate fulminant colitis was defined as acute disease requiring hospitalization and parenteral steroid therapy, but without hypotension (systolic blood pressure, <100 mmHg), tachycardia (>120 beats/min), or megacolon. RESULTS: Twelve patients with moderate fulminant colitis underwent urgent surgery (1.6 percent). They had been treated preoperatively for 5.1±2.3 days with intravenous high-dose steroids, total parenteral nutrition, and antibiotics. These patients had a shorter length of disease (P =0.01), lower hemoglobin, hematocrit, and albumin (P=0.001), and higher temperature (P=0.002) and leukocyte count (P=0.007) than patients undergoing elective surgery. No early septic complications occurred, although perianal abscess occurred in one patient and pouch-anal fistula in another patient, 13 and 14 months after surgery, respectively. CONCLUSION: In carefully selected, hemodynamically stable patients with fulminant colitis and without megacolon, RPC with IPAA can be safely performed.

Predicting the functional result of anastomoses to the anus: The paradox of preoperative anal resting pressure

This article examines the effect of ileal pouch-anal (n=134) and coloanal (n=16) anastomoses on resting anal canal pressures in 150 patients. METHODS: Patients underwent anal manometry before ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) and coloanal anastomosis (CAA) and again six weeks after ileostomy closure following these procedures. A water-perfused catheter system with four radial ports was used for manometry, pressures being recorded during both station and continuous pull through. RESULTS: Patients with IPAA were younger than those with CAA (34 yearsvs.50 years) and had a different ratio of hand-to-stapled anastomosis (1∶2.6vs.1.3∶1). All CAA patients had had rectal cancer while IPAA patients suffered mainly from ulcerative colitis (n=114) or familial polyposis (n=10). The mean preoperative resting pressure for all patients was 79 mmHg (75–87, 95 percent confidence limit) and the mean fall in this pressure after surgery was 25 mmHg (−21 to −29, 95 percent confidence limit). There was no difference in preoperative pressure or fall between handsewn and stapled anastomoses, or between IPAA and CAA. CONCLUSION: There was a significant relationship between preoperative pressure and change in pressure that held true for all subgroups (change=−0.7 × preoperative pressure + 31,r=0.69). Analysis of the functional results confirmed that patients with high preoperative pressure are at risk for severe falls after surgery and are not guaranteed a good result. Conversely, patients with low preoperative pressures may actually have an increase with surgery and are not always incontinent. Patients with low preoperative anal resting pressures should not be denied anastomosis to the anus if they are continent.

Paradoxical puborectalis contraction in patients after pelvic pouch construction

Normal defecation is associated with relaxation of sphincters during the evacuation process. However, obstructive defecation is sometimes seen clinically manifested by abnormal contraction of the puborectalis during defecation rather than relaxing. This condition has not previously been described after pelvic pouch construction. PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate patients for defecation difficulties caused by paradoxical puborectalis contraction after pelvic pouch procedures. METHODS: Prospectively, patients with defecation difficulties were questioned. They then underwent electromyography if they met particular criteria. Biofeedback was offered to all patients demonstrating paradox on electromyography. Follow-up was by clinic visits and interviews. RESULTS: After pelvic pouch construction, 13 patients were found to have paradoxical puborectalis contraction. Twelve of 13 patients elected to have biofeedback therapy. Eleven of these 12 were available for follow-up an average of eight (1–15) months after biofeedback. Nine improved, and two had no change in their defecation difficulty. Of the initial 13, 10 had an event, either pouchitis or abdominal trauma, directly before their defecation problems. CONCLUSION: Paradoxical puborectalis contraction can occur in patients after pelvic pouch surgery. It should be suspected in patients with defecation difficulties in the absence of an anatomic abnormality. Biofeedback is effective treatment.

Perioperative resting pressure predicts long-term postoperative function after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis

The purpose of this study was to determine whether perioperative manometry is useful in predicting long-term functional status after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA). Prospectively collected perioperative anal manometry data from 1439 patients undergoing IPAA from 1986 to 2000 were compared to postoperative functional status at various time intervals from 6 months to 8 years after IPAA. A validated questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding restrictions of diet, work, social and sexual activity, urgency, fecal seepage or incontinence, energy level, satisfaction with surgery, and quality of life. The presence of seepage and the degree of incontinence were compared to the patient’s perceived quality of life, health, energy level, and satisfaction with surgery. Low (<40 mm Hg) pre- and postoperative resting pressures were associated with increased seepage, pad use, and incontinence. Patients with low resting pressures also reported diminished quality of life, health, energy level, and satisfaction with surgery. There was a significant association (P < 0.001) between seepage and degree of incontinence and quality of health, quality of life, energy level, and level of satisfaction with surgery. Perioperative resting anal sphincter pressures greater than 40 mm Hg are associated with significantly better function and quality of life after ileal IPAA. Improved functional outcome is associated with better quality-of-life outcomes. Low preoperative resting pressures do not preclude successful outcome after IPAA.