Abdominopelvic CT-scan in emergency departments for patients with suspected complications of Crohn's disease: a single tertiary center experience.

BACKGROUND: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic disorder with frequent complications. The objective of this study was to assess the predictive factors of finding a complication of CD using abdominopelvic CT-scan in patients with a visit to the emergency department. METHODS: Patients with at least one visit to the gastroenterology department of our University hospital during the year with a CD were retrospectively included. All visits to the emergency department of the hospital during the follow-up of these patients were identified. RESULTS: A total of 638 patients were included and 318 (49.8%) had at least one visit to the emergency department since the beginning of their follow-up. Abdominopelvic CT-scan was performed in 141 (23.7%) of the 595 visits for digestive symptoms. Only 4.3% of these CT-scans were considered as normal; there was luminal inflammation without complication in 24.8%, abscess, fistula or perforation in 22.7%, mechanical bowel obstruction in 36.9% and diagnosis unrelated to CD in 11.3%. In univariate analysis, stricturing phenotype (OR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.16-5.29; p = 0.02) and previous surgery (OR, 2.90; 95% CI, 1.37-6.14; p = 0.005) were predictive factors of finding a complication of CD using abdominopelvic CT-scan, whereas no independent predictive factor was statistically significant in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: In CD patients consulting in emergency department, CT-scan examination was performed in 24% of visits for digestive symptoms and complications of CD were found in 60%. Complications were more frequent in patients with stricturing phenotype and previous surgery.

Botulinum toxin: an endoscopic approach for treating fecal incontinence.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Fecal incontinence is a common, distressing condition with limited therapeutic options. Botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) injections have been proposed as a treatment for patients with fecal incontinence. This study aimed to determine the short-term clinical outcomes of BTX-A injections in patients with fecal incontinence of varying etiology. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients with fecal incontinence were enrolled, 17 with their native rectum and 9 with a neo-reservoir following a proctectomy for rectal cancer. BTX-A was endoscopically injected into the rectum/reservoir. Scores for severity (CCS) and quality of life (FIQL) were recorded at baseline and at the 3-month follow-up visit. RESULTS: The CCS was significantly lower after 3 months (median 15, range 4 - 20 vs. 8, range 1 - 19; P = 0.001). The quality of life improved in three of the four FIQL domains. The improvement was maintained in 11 of 12 patients who received more than one injection because of recurrent symptoms. There was no significant predictive factor for the success of BTX-A injections. CONCLUSION: This preliminary study demonstrated that rectal/reservoir injections are an effective short-term treatment for fecal incontinence.