The majority of colorectal resections require an open approach, even in units with a special interest in laparoscopic surgery.

AIM: Proponents suggest that laparoscopic colorectal resection might be achievable in up to 90% of cases, while keeping conversion rates below 10%. This unselected prospective case series reports on the proportion of patients having a completed laparoscopic colorectal resection in two units where laparoscopic colorectal practice is well established and readily available. METHOD: All patients undergoing elective and emergency colorectal resection during a 6-month period were identified. The underlying pathology and the surgical approach (laparoscopic or open) were recorded. The contraindications to laparoscopic resection were also documented. The need and rationale for conversion to an open approach were recorded. RESULTS: In total, 205 consecutive patients (160 elective and 45 emergency procedures) underwent colorectal resection for malignancy [117 (57%) patients] and benign pathology [88 (43%) patients]. Laparoscopic resection was attempted in 127/205 (62%) patients and 31/127 (24%) of these were converted to open surgery. The main reasons for not attempting laparoscopic resection were locally advanced disease and emergency surgery. The commonest reasons for conversion were advanced disease and to allow completion of rectal dissection and/or cross-stapling of the rectum. CONCLUSION: Despite a special interest in laparoscopic colorectal surgery of the two colorectal units who provided the data for this study, fewer than half (96/205; 47%) of the patients in this consecutive unselected series who were undergoing major colorectal resection had the procedure completed laparoscopically.

Vitamin B12 deficiency following restorative proctocolectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Restorative proctocolectomy (RP) involves terminal ileal resection and formation of a small bowel reservoir that predisposes to bacterial overgrowth. It was anticipated that these patients would be at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. METHOD: Vitamin B12 levels were measured sequentially in 171 patients who underwent RP. Prospective results were obtained from all 20 patients undergoing pouch formation after the commencement of the study. Further results were obtained retrospectively from case notes and computerized laboratory records of the 151 patients who underwent RP prior to the commencement of the study and these were correlated with the results of follow-up samples taken prospectively from the same patients after the commencement of the study. The median age of the patients was 40 years (range: 13-67) and the median duration of follow up was 5.4 years (range: 1-12). Patients with an abnormally low serum B12 level underwent both a Schilling and a hydrogen breath test. Eight of these patients were then treated with oral vitamin B12. RESULTS: Abnormally low serum B12 levels were found in 25% of patients. Forty per cent of our patient group had three or more sequential B12 measurements and of these, 66% showed steadily declining B12 levels. Ninety-four per cent of patients with low B12 had a normal Schilling test and were negative for bacterial overgrowth. CONCLUSION: Subnormal vitamin B12 levels develop in almost one-quarter of patients after pouch surgery. The exact mechanism for B12 deficiency in these patients is uncertain. In the majority of patients undergoing RP, vitamin B12 levels fall on sequential measurement. Serum B12 levels should be measured during follow up and pouch patients with subnormal B12 levels, should see them successfully restored to a normal value after treatment with oral B12 replacement therapy.

Long-term cancer risk of the anorectal cuff following restorative proctocolectomy assessed by p53 expression and cuff dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: Restorative proctocolectomy (RP) for ulcerative colitis (UC) retains a 'cuff' of columnar rectal epithelium that has unknown risk of malignant change. Markers of malignant potential in UC include aberrant p53 expression and dysplasia. We undertook a prospective study comprising serial surveillance biopsy and assessed the occurrence of aberrant p53 expression, epithelial dysplasia and carcinoma in the retained anorectal cuff following stapled RP. METHOD: A total of 110 patients who underwent stapled RP for UC between 1988 and 1998 were followed up by cuff surveillance biopsies under general anaesthesia. Histological samples were analysed by a specialist colorectal pathologist for the presence of rectal mucosa, dysplasia and carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry for p53 expression was performed for each most recent cuff biopsy. Median follow-up was 56 months (12-145) and median time since diagnosis of UC was 8.8 years (2-32). RESULTS: Rectal mucosa was obtained from the cuff in 65% of biopsies. No overt carcinomas developed during the follow-up period and there was no dysplasia or carcinoma in any cuff biopsy. The p53 overexpression was identified in 38 specimens (50.6%), but was also identified in controls (3/3 colitis, 3/3 ileal pouch and 6/6 stapled haemorrhoidectomy donuts). CONCLUSION: The lack of carcinoma and dysplasia in the columnar cuff epithelium specimens is reassuring. The lack of stabilized p53 and absence of a relationship between p53 stabilization and dysplasia up to 12 years after pouch formation suggests neoplastic transformation is a rare event. Furthermore, p53 expression was not useful in surveillance of cuff biopsies from patients who have undergone RP for UC and the search should continue for alternative predysplastic markers. These data suggest that in patients who do not have high-grade dysplasia or colorectal cancer at the time of RP, cuff surveillance in the first decade after pouch formation is unnecessary. However, we consider regular cuff surveillance biopsies should continue for patients with high-grade dysplasia, whether or not there was a carcinoma in the original colectomy specimen.

Risk of dysplasia in the columnar cuff after stapled restorative proctocolectomy.

BACKGROUND: Stapled restorative proctocolectomy (SRP) for ulcerative colitis retains a 'cuff' of columnar epithelium, which carries a risk of undergoing malignant change. The risk of neoplastic transformation was studied in a series of patients who underwent SRP for ulcerative colitis. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-five patients who underwent SRP for ulcerative colitis between 1988 and 1998 were followed up by cuff surveillance biopsy. The median follow-up was 56 (range 12-145) months and the median time since diagnosis of ulcerative colitis was 8.8 (range 2-32) years. RESULTS: The cuff biopsies showed no dysplasia or carcinoma. The accuracy of obtaining cuff mucosa in the biopsy was 65 per cent. Chronic inflammation was present in 94 per cent of cuff biopsies. CONCLUSION: This study shows no evidence of either dysplasia or carcinoma in the columnar cuff mucosa, up to 12 years after pouch formation. This suggests that cuff surveillance in the first decade after SRP, in the absence of dysplasia or carcinoma in the original colectomy specimen, may be unnecessary. Regular cuff surveillance biopsies after SRP should continue for patients with high-grade dysplasia or carcinoma in the original resection specimen.