Differences in Clinical Findings Based on the Duration of Symptoms and Age of Children With Ileocolic Intussusception: A Single-Institution Survey in Rural Japan.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine whether the rates of abdominal pain or irritability, vomiting, and hematochezia differ depending on the duration of symptoms and age of the children with ileocolic intussusception. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the charts of ileocolic intussusception children between January 2008 and December 2017 at a rural general hospital in Japan. Children were separated into 2 groups: the early visiting group, including children examined within 6 hours after onset, and the late visiting group, including children examined more than 6 hours after onset. We further separated them into 2 groups based on age: the infant group (age, <18 months) and the child group (age, ≥18 months). We compared clinical features, such as abdominal pain or irritability, vomiting, and hematochezia, between each group. RESULTS: Among 105 children with ileocolic intussusception, 51 were in the early visiting group and 49 were in the infant group. Hematochezia less frequently occurred in the early visiting group than in the late visiting group (29% vs 50%, P = 0.046). Furthermore, abdominal pain or irritability occurred less frequently in the infant group than in the child group (79.6% vs 98.2%, P = 0.003). Conversely, vomiting and hematochezia were more frequent in the infant group than in the child group (83.7% vs 51.8%, P < 0.001; 55.1% vs 26.8%, P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical features of pediatric ileocolic intussusception may depend on symptom duration and age.

Comparison Between Small and Large Bowel Intussusception in Children: The Experience of a Large Tertiary Care Pediatric Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Intussusception is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in young children, and delayed diagnosis may lead to serious sequelae. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of ileoileal intussusception and to document and compare clinical outcomes with ileocolic intussusception. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of children with an abdominal ultrasound that diagnosed intussusception. Clinical data and diagnostic studies were retrieved, to compare ileoileal with ileocolic intussusception. RESULTS: A total of 488 patients were evaluated with an abdominal ultrasound on suspicion of intussusception; 54 (11%) had ileoileal intussusception and 30 (6%) ileocolic intussusception. The significant features distinguishing the 2 conditions were fever, more common in patients with ileoileal intussusception, and an abdominal mass, which was papable more commonly in ileocolic intussusception. None of the ileoileal intussusception patients required surgical intervention, and all were discharged without complication. CONCLUSIONS: With recent advances in abdominal ultrasound, the diagnosis of ileoileal intussusception has become easier than before. Patients presenting with small bowel intussusception may not need any immediate intervention. The presence of fever supports the diagnosis of ileoileal intussusception.

Differential risk of disease progression between isolated anastomotic ulcers and mild ileal recurrence after ileocolonic resection in patients with Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: It is standard of care to perform ileocolonoscopy within a year of ileocolonic resection for Crohn's disease (CD) and to guide management decisions based on the Rutgeert score (RS). The modified RS subdivides i2 into lesions confined to the anastomosis (i2a) or >5 aphthous lesions in the neoterminal ileum (i2b). There is uncertainty, however, if i2a lesions incur an increased risk of disease recurrence. The primary aim of this study was to compare the rates of endoscopic progression between i2a and i2b when compared with i0-i1. METHODS: This was a retrospective, single-center study including patients with CD who had an ileocolonoscopy ≤12 months after ileocolonic resection with primary anastomosis and who had >1 year of documented clinical follow-up after the index endoscopic evaluation. All consecutive eligible patients between 2004 and 2014 were included in the study. Demographic, disease, and treatment data were collected. Patients with i3 or i4 at index colonoscopy were excluded from further analyses. Outcomes included endoscopic progression and recurrent surgery. For patients with RS of i0 to i2, endoscopic progression was predefined as progression of the RS in subsequent colonoscopies to i3 or i4. Recurrent surgical interventions were defined as re-resection or stricturoplasty of the previous ileocolonic anastomosis. RESULTS: Two hundred seven CD patients (median age, 36 years [interquartile range, 26-48]) had an ileocolonoscopy ≤12 months after ileocolonic resection. At index colonoscopy, 95 patients (45.9%) had an RS of i0, 31 (14.9%) i1, 40 (19.3%) i2a, 25 (12.1%) i2b, 10 (4.8%) i3, and 6 (2.9%) i4. One hundred ninety-one patients had an RS of i0 to i2 and were included in the analyses for recurrent surgery. One hundred forty-nine patients had a second endoscopic evaluation and were included in the analysis for the primary outcome of endoscopic disease progression. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed and found the hazard ratio (HR) of endoscopic progression to be significantly higher with i2b lesions when compared with i0 or i1 (HR, 6.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.38-16.2; P = .0008). Patients with i2a did not have significantly higher rates of endoscopic progression when compared with i0 or i1 (HR, 2.30; 95% CI, .80-6.66; P = .12). Likewise, patients with i2b lesions had higher risk of needing recurrent surgery when compared with i0 or i1 (HR, 3.64; 95% CI, 1.10-12.1; P = .034), whereas patients with i2a lesions were not found to have a significantly elevated risk of recurrent surgery (HR, 1.43; 95% CI, .35-5.77; P = .62). CONCLUSION: Endoscopic lesions limited to the ileocolonic anastomosis (RS i2a) in patients with CD undergoing colonoscopy within 1 year of their resection were not associated with a significantly higher rate of progression to more severe disease, whereas those in the neoileum (RS i2b) were. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Use of Primary Anastomosis With Diverting Ileostomy in Patients With Acute Diverticulitis Requiring Urgent Operative Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that urgent colectomy and primary anastomosis with diversion is safe for perforated diverticulitis. Current guidelines support this approach. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the use of urgent or emergent primary anastomosis with diversion in diverticulitis before the 2014 American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons guidelines and compare national outcomes of primary anastomosis with diversion to the Hartmann procedure. DESIGN: This was a national retrospective cohort study. SETTINGS: The study was conducted with a national all-payer US sample from 1998 to 2011. PATIENTS: Patients included those admitted and treated with urgent or emergent colectomy for diverticulitis. Exclusion criteria were age <18 years, concurrent diagnosis of colorectal cancer or IBD, no fecal diversion performed, and operations >24 hours after admission. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: In-hospital mortality was measured. RESULTS: A total of 124,198 patients underwent emergent or urgent colectomy for acute diverticulitis; 67,721 underwent concurrent fecal diversion, including 65,084 (96.1%) who underwent end colostomy and 2637 (3.9%) who underwent anastomosis with ileostomy. The rate of primary anastomosis with diverting ileostomy increased from 30 to 60 diverting ileostomy cases per 1000 operative diverticulitis cases in 1998 versus 2011 (incidence rate ratio = 2.04 (95% CI, 1.70-2.50). However, overall use remained low, with >90% of patients undergoing end colostomy. Complication rates were higher (32.1% vs 23.3%; p < 0.001) and in-hospital mortality rates were higher (16.0% vs 6.4%; p < 0.001) for primary anastomosis with diversion patients compared with end colostomy. These findings were consistent on multivariable logistic regression. Other factors that contributed to in-hospital mortality included increasing age, increasing comorbid disease burden, and socioeconomic status. LIMITATIONS: Billing data can be inaccurate or biased because of nonmedically trained professional data entry. Selection bias could have affected the results of this retrospective study. CONCLUSIONS: The use of primary anastomosis with proximal diversion for urgent colectomy in diverticulitis increased over our study period; however, overall use remained low. Poor national outcomes after primary anastomosis with proximal diversion might affect compliance with new guidelines. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A600.

Colonic Crohn's Disease Is Associated with Less Aggressive Disease Course Than Ileal or Ileocolonic Disease.

BACKGROUND: The literature on disease characteristics of colonic Crohn's disease (CD) is sparse, especially from Asia, where the burden of inflammatory bowel disease is on the rise. The present study aims to describe the disease characteristics of colonic CD, and compare it with that of ileal/ileocolonic disease. METHODS: This retrospective study included adult patients of CD (diagnosed by standard criteria, follow-up duration > 6 months) on follow-up between August 2004 and January 2016. The disease location was classified by Montreal classification. The data were recorded on demographic characteristics, smoking status, disease phenotype, disease course, treatment received, hospitalization and surgeries. RESULTS: Of 406 CD patients, 123 had colonic [mean age (at onset) 30.4 ± 13.2 years, 59.3% males] and 265 had ileal/ileocolonic disease [mean age (at onset) 32.9 ± 13.8 years, 61.5% males] while 18 patients had isolated upper GI disease. The frequency of inflammatory behavior (B1 phenotype; 61.8 vs. 46.4%, p = 0.003), perianal disease (23.6 vs. 4.5%, p < 0.001), and extra-intestinal manifestation (42.3 vs. 30.2%, p = 0.019) was higher in colonic than ileal/ileocolonic CD. Though not statistically significant, requirement of atleast one course of steroid was lower in colonic CD (72.7 vs. 84.2%, p = 0.098). Although there was no difference in the frequency of hospitalization (30.1 vs. 27.1%, p = 0.45), the overall requirement for surgery was significantly lower in colonic CD (17.1 vs. 26.1%, p = 0.032) and patients with colonic disease had a lower cumulative probability of first surgery in the first 10 years of follow-up [Hazard ratio 0.556 (95% CI 0.313-0.985), p = 0.045]. CONCLUSION: Colonic CD was associated with less aggressive disease behavior and lower requirement of surgery as compared to ileal/ileocolonic CD.

Incidence of and Risk Factors for Free Bowel Perforation in Patients with Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Incidence of and risk factors for intestinal free perforation (FP) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) are not established. AIM: To establish rate of and risk factors for FP in a large cohort of CD patients. METHODS: Medical records of CD patients who visited Asan Medical Center from June 1989 to December 2012 were reviewed. After matching the FP patients to controls (1:4) by gender, year, and age at CD diagnosis, and disease location, their clinical characteristics were compared using conditional logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Among 2043 patients who were included in our study cohort, 44 patients (2.15%) developed FP over a median follow-up period of 79.8 months (interquartile range 37.3-124.6), with an incidence of 3.18 per 1000 person-years [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.37-4.28]. All 44 patients underwent emergency surgery, and eight patients underwent reoperation within 12 months (8/44, 18.2%). Multivariable-adjusted analysis revealed that anti-TNF therapy [odds ratio (OR), 3.73; 95% CI 1.19-11.69; p = 0.024] was associated with an increased risk of FP. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of FP in a large cohort of Korean CD patients was 2.15%, which was similar to that in Western reports. Anti-TNF therapy could be risk factors for FP.

PATTERNS AND SEASONAL VARIATION OF INTUSSUSCEPTION IN CHILDREN: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF CASES OPERATED IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN ETHIOPIA.

BACKGROUND: Intussusception is one of the frequent causes of bowel obstruction in infants and toddlers (1). It involves invagination of a portion of intestine into another(2-4). The peak age of occurrence is between the age of 4 and 8 months. The aim of this study is to review the pattern of clinical presentation and seasonal variation of intussusception in our hospital, and to analyze the mode and outcomes of treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a four-year retrospective study of children aged 13 years and below who were admitted and treated for intussusception between January 2011 and December 2014 at the pediatric surgery unit of Tikur Anbesa Specialized Hospital (TAH) in Ethiopia. Information on the patients' demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, and month of occurrence as well as the operative findings and outcome were obtained from the pediatric surgery unit record book, patient charts, and the operating theatre registry. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty six cases of intussusception were admitted to TAH, Addis Ababa over a four year period, of which 130 charts were retrieved and analyzed. Males dominated in the series. Age distribution showed that 59.2% of the cases were ≤ one year old, and 77.7 % were ≤ two years old. Abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody mucoid diarrhea and a mass palpated abdominally and/or rectally were the most common modes of presentations, with the classic triad of abdominal pain, vomiting and bloody mucoid diarrhea occurring in nearly two third of cases. The highest peak of presentation was in the month of June with 18 (13.9%) cases. The mean duration of symptoms before presentation to our hospital was 5.2 days with a range of 1-21 days. Intraoperatively, it was found that ileocolic intussusception was the most common type. Simple reduction without bowel resection was possible in 70.8% of cases. There were 44 (33.9 %) complications, wound site infection being the most common occurring in 20 (15.4%) cases and there were 6 deaths. CONCLUSION: Intussusception was more common in the wet season. There was delayed presentation with a higher rate of operative management and bowel resection. The mortality rate has decreased significantly compared with a previous study from this institution.

The clinical characteristics of patients with free perforation in Korean Crohn's disease: results from the CONNECT study.

BACKGROUND: Free perforation is the most severe and debilitating complication associated with Crohn's disease (CD), and it usually requires emergency surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of free perforation among Korean patients with CD. METHODS: The CrOhn's disease cliNical NEtwork and CohorT (CONNECT) study was conducted nationwide in Korea, and patients who were diagnosed with CD between 1982 and 2008 were included in this retrospective study. We investigated the incidence of free perforation among these patients and their clinical characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 1346 patients were analyzed and 88 patients (6.5%) were identified with free perforation in CD. The mean age of the free perforation group was 31.8 ± 13.0 years, which was significantly higher than that of the non-perforated group (27.5 ± 12.1 years) (p = 0.004). Free perforation was the presenting sign of CD in 46 patients (52%). Of the 94 perforations that were present in 88 patients, 81 involved the ileum. Multivariate logistic regression analysis determined that free perforation was significantly associated with being aged ≥ 30 years at diagnosis (OR 2.082, p = 0.002) and bowel strictures (OR 1.982, p = 0.004). The mortality rate in the free perforation group was significantly higher (4.5%) than that in the non-perforated group (0.6%) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The incidence of free perforation in Korean patients with CD was 6.5%. Being aged ≥ 30 years at CD diagnosis and bowel strictures were significant risk factors associated with free perforation.

Prevalence, morbidity, and mortality patterns of typhoid ileal perforation as seen at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu Nigeria: an 8-year review.

BACKGROUND: Some recent studies have reported a decrease in mortality from typhoid ileal perforation. The present report aims to determine the prevalence, morbidity, and mortality of this disease in patients mostly drawn from a rural area. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 50 patients treated between January 1999 and December 2007 at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. The variables studied included patient demographics, clinical features, intraoperative findings, complications, and mortality. Statistical analysis was done with SPSS version 13. RESULTS: Of the 50 patients included in the study, 22 were males with the highest rate in patients aged 20 years and younger. Fever was the commonest symptom and at initial presentation, the mean pulse and respiratory rates were significantly higher in the patients who subsequently died than in those who survived (P < 0.05). All the perforations occurred in the ileum; 62 % of the patients had solitary perforations, 28 % had double perforations, and 10 % had three or more. Fifty-eight perforations were treated by simple closure in two layers, 4 patients had ileal resection and anastomosis, and 2 underwent right hemicolectomy. The mean interval between operation and death was 1.7 days. The overall mortality rate was 30 %, but among those with three or more perforations, mortality was 100 %. CONCLUSIONS: Typhoid ileal perforation still carries a high mortality especially in rural areas. Those with tachycardia and tachypnea at presentation and those with three or more perforations are at a higher risk of dying from the disease.

UK intussusception audit: a national survey of practice and audit of reduction rates.

AIM: To define current UK reduction practice and the reductions rates achieved. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic surveys were sent to radiologists at 26 UK centres. This assessed methods of reduction, equipment, personnel, and protocol usage. Standardized audit proforma were also sent to evaluate all reductions performed in 2011. RESULTS: Twenty-two of 26 centres (85%) replied. All used air enema under fluoroscopic guidance. Equipment was not standardized but could be broadly categorized into hand-pumped air-supply systems (seven centres) and pressurized air systems (15 centres). Seventeen centres followed a protocol based on British Society of Paediatric Radiologists (BSPR) guidelines. In 21 of the 22 centres a consultant paediatric radiologist led reductions and only 12 centres reported a surgeon being present. Three hundred and ten cases were reported across 22 centres. Cases per centre ranged from 0-31 (median 14). Reduction rates varied from 38-90% (median 71%). The overall perforation rate was 2.5%. Caseload did not significantly correlate with reduction rate, and there was no significant difference between the two types of equipment used. Median reduction rates were 15% higher in centres with a surgeon present at reduction (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Intussusception care in the UK lacks standardization of equipment and personnel involved. National reduction rates are lower than in current international literature. Improved standardization may lead to an improvement in reduction rates and a surgeon should always be present at reduction.

Ileocolic versus small-bowel intussusception in children: can US enable reliable differentiation?

PURPOSE: To assess clinical and ultrasonographic (US) criteria that can be used to confidently differentiate ileocolic from small-bowel intussusception. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional review board approval was obtained for this retrospective study, and the need to obtain informed consent was waived. US and clinical data for children given a diagnosis of intussusception in the years 2007 through 2011 were evaluated. The diameters of the intussusception and the inner fat core, the outer bowel wall thickness, and the presence or absence of lymph nodes inside the intussusception and mesentery were noted. The Student t test, the Mann-Whitney test, and the Levene test were used for comparison of parametric variables, while the χ(2) and Fisher exact tests were used for comparison of categoric data. RESULTS: There were 200 cases of intussusception in 174 patients (126 boys, 48 girls; mean age, 17.2 months (range, 0 years to 7 years 1 month); 57 (28.5%) were small-bowel and 143 (71.5%) were ileocolic intussusceptions. Mean lesion diameter was 2.63 cm (range, 1.3-4.0 cm) for ileocolic versus 1.42 cm (range, 0.8-3.0 cm) for small-bowel intussusception (P < .0001). Mean fat core diameter was 1.32 cm (range, 0.6-2.2 cm) for ileocolic versus 0.1 cm (range, 0-0.75 cm) for small-bowel intussusception (P < .0001). The ratio of inner fat core diameter to outer wall thickness was greater than 1.0 in all ileocolic intussusceptions and was less than 1.0 in all small-bowel intussusceptions (P < .0001). Lymph nodes inside the lesion were seen in 128 (89.5%) of the 143 ileocolic intussusceptions versus in eight (14.0%) of the 57 small-bowel intussusceptions (P < .0001). Children with ileocolic intussusception had more severe clinical symptoms and signs, with more vomiting (P = .003), leukocytosis (P = .003), and blood in the stool (P = .00005). CONCLUSION: The presence of an inner fatty core in the intussusception, lesion diameter, wall thickness, the ratio of fatty core thickness to outer wall thickness, and the presence of lymph nodes in the lesion may enable reliable differentiation between ileocolic and small-bowel intussusceptions.

Parenteral nutrition increases susceptibility of ileum to invasion by E coli.

BACKGROUND: Parenteral nutrition (PN), with the lack of enteral feeding, compromises mucosal immune function and increases the risk of infections. We developed an ex vivo intestinal segment culture (EVISC) model to study the ex vivo effects of PN on susceptibility of the ileum to invasion by extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) and on ileal secretion of antimicrobial secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) in response to the pathogen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study 1: Using mouse (n = 7) ileal tissue, we examined the effects of ileal region (proximal versus distal) and varying ExPEC inoculum concentrations on ex vivo susceptibility to ExPEC invasion and sPLA2 secretion. Study 2: Ten mice were randomized to oral chow or intravenous PN feeding for 5 d (n = 5/group). Using the EVISC model, we compared the susceptibility of ileal tissue to invasion by ExPEC and sPLA2 secretion in response to the pathogen. RESULTS: Study 1: The proximal ileum was more susceptible to invasion (P < 0.0001) and secreted lower amounts of sPLA2 (P = 0.0002) than the distal ileum. Study 2: Ileal tissue from PN-fed animals was more susceptible (approximately 4-fold, P = 0.018) to invasion than those from chow-fed animals. Ileal tissue from PN-fed animals secreted less sPLA2 (P < 0.02) than those from chow-fed animals. CONCLUSIONS: The data illustrate EVISC as a reproducible model for studying host-pathogen interactions and the effects of diet on susceptibility to infections. Specifically, the findings support our hypothesis that PN with the lack of enteral feeding decreases mucosal responsiveness to pathogen exposure and provides a plausible mechanism by which PN is associated with increased risk of infectious complication.

Risk of adhesive obstruction after colorectal surgery: the benefits of the minimally invasive approach may extend well beyond the perioperative period.

BACKGROUND: Risk of adhesive small-bowel obstruction (SBO) is high following open colorectal surgery. Laparoscopic surgery may induce fewer adhesions; however, the translation of this advantage to a reduced rate of bowel obstruction has not been well demonstrated. This study evaluates whether SBO is lower after laparoscopic compared with open colorectal surgery. METHODS: Patients who underwent laparoscopic abdominal colorectal surgery, without any previous history of open surgery, from 1998 to 2010 were identified from a prospective laparoscopic database. Details regarding occurrence of symptoms of SBO (colicky abdominal pain; nausea and/or vomiting; constipation; abdominal distension not due to infection or gastroenteritis), admissions to hospital with radiological findings confirming SBO, and surgery for obstruction after the laparoscopic colectomy were obtained by contacting patients and mailed questionnaires. Patients undergoing open colorectal surgery for similar operations during the same period and without a history of previous open surgery also were contacted and compared with the laparoscopic group for risk of obstruction. RESULTS: Information pertaining to SBO was available for 205 patients who underwent an elective laparoscopic procedure and 205 similar open operations. The two groups had similar age, gender, and sufficiently long duration of follow-up. Despite a significantly longer duration of follow-up for the laparoscopic group, admission to hospital for SBO was similar between groups. Patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery also had significantly lower operative intervention for SBO (8% vs. 2%, p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Although the rate of SBO was similar after laparoscopic and open colorectal surgery, the need for operative intervention for SBO was significantly lower after laparoscopic operations. These findings especially in the context of the longer follow-up for laparoscopic patients suggests that the lower incidence of adhesions expected after laparoscopic surgery likely translates into long-term benefits in terms of reduced SBO.

Clostridium difficile of the ileum following total abdominal colectomy, with or without proctectomy: who is at risk?

BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile enteritis is considered a rare entity, although recent data suggest a significant increase in prevalence and incidence. There is paucity of data evaluating risk factors of C difficile enteritis following total colectomy. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and risk factors of C difficile enteritis for patients who had undergone total abdominal colectomy with or without proctectomy. DESIGN: This study involves a retrospective chart review of 310 patients. Univariate analysis was performed on potential risk factors (p ≤ 0.05) with the use of a logistic regression model, and a Fisher exact test was used for variables that had no occurrences of C difficile. These groups of variables were then examined in a multiple variate setting with stepwise logistic regression analysis. SETTINGS: This study was conducted at a tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: A data analysis was performed on patients who had undergone total abdominal colectomy with or without proctectomy who were tested for C difficile of the ileum. RESULTS: Twenty-two of 137 patients that were tested (16%) were positive for C difficile of the ileum. Univariate analysis of known risk factors for C difficile demonstrated that black race was a protective factor against C difficile (p = 0.016). The multivariate analysis demonstrated that emergency surgery (p = 0.035), race (p = 0.003), and increasing age by decade (p = 0.033) were risk factors for C difficile. LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by the small patient sample, and it was not a randomized trial. CONCLUSIONS: Black race is protective, and whites are 4 times more likely to acquire C difficile of the ileum after undergoing a total abdominal colectomy with or without proctectomy. The data also demonstrated that an increased age by a decade and emergency surgery are risk factors for C difficile enteritis, whereas the described risk factors of C difficile of the colon and type of colon surgery do not appear to influence the risk of C difficile of the ileum.

The prevalence of dysplasia in the ileoanal pouch following restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis with associated dysplasia.

AIM: A recent systematic review indicated that dysplasia present before restorative proctocolectomy is a predictor of subsequent dysplasia in the pouch. This prospective study was carried out to assess the prevalence of dysplasia in the ileal pouch in patients having RPC for ulcerative colitis with co-existing dysplasia in the operation specimen. METHOD: Eligible patients were invited for a surveillance endoscopy. The afferent and blind efferent ileal loop, ileoanal pouch and rectal cuff were examined by standard endoscopy using a dye-spray technique with methylene blue. Mucosal abnormalities were biopsied and random biopsies were taken from the afferent and blind ileal loop, pouch and rectal cuff. RESULTS: Fourty-four patients (25 male, mean 49 years) underwent pouch endoscopy at a mean interval from RPC of 8.6 years. Dysplasia was detected in two (4.5%) patients. In one, low-grade dysplasia was found in the rectal cuff and in the other low-grade dysplasia was detected in random biopsies from the pouch and the efferent ileal loop. CONCLUSION: This prospective pouch-endoscopy study detected dysplasia in < 5% of patients over nearly 10 years. The benefit of routine surveillance for dysplasia in the pouch is uncertain, as the significance of low-grade dysplasia in the pouch is not clear.

Adequacy of flexible sigmoidoscopy with biopsy for diarrhea in patients under age 50 without features of proximal disease.

BACKGROUND: The optimal endoscopic investigation of diarrhea in patients under age 50 without specific features of right-sided colonic/ileal disease is inadequately defined. OBJECTIVE: To assess the potential additional yield of colonoscopy over flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) in this group. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Two teaching hospital endoscopy units. PATIENTS: This study involved all patients under age 50 who had a colonoscopy between 1997 and 2007 to investigate diarrhea, without high-risk features of right-sided colonic/ileal disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or rectal bleeding. INTERVENTION: Colonoscopy and biopsy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Diagnostic yield of colonoscopy over FS with biopsy. RESULTS: Colonoscopic appearances were abnormal in 126 of 625 eligible patients (20%); 72% of abnormalities were within reach of FS. The most common endoscopic abnormality was suspected inflammation in 60 patients (10% overall), reportedly confined to the proximal colon or ileum in 22 patients (37% of this group). Histology from areas of suspected inflammation revealed features of IBD in 68% of patients, but results were normal in the remainder. In the 22 patients with suspected isolated proximal disease, 8 patients (36%) had normal histology results, and a further 6 had left-side colon biopsies demonstrating IBD. In patients with macroscopically normal colons, histological evidence of IBD or microscopic colitis occurred in 14 and 12 patients, respectively, with changes in the left side of the colon in 93% of patients. In this patient group, 85% of IBD or microscopic colitis could have been detected by FS and biopsy. The negative predictive value of FS with biopsy was 98% for IBD and 99% for microscopic colitis. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective study. CONCLUSION: FS is adequate for the investigation of diarrhea in patients under age 50 who lack other features, but its yield depends on biopsy of the left side of the colon.

Intussusception in traditional pediatric, nontraditional pediatric, and adult patients.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the rate of intussusception in 3 age groups (traditional pediatric-age [T], nontraditional pediatric-age [N], and adult-age [A]) and to compare group characteristics. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective records review for patients discharged with diagnosis of intussusception between October 1999 and June 2008. RESULTS: Ninety-five cases of intussusception were diagnosed as follows: 61 T (64%), 12 N (13%), and 22 A (23%). Bloody stool was more common in T patients (P = .016). Air contrast enema (36%) and ultrasound (33%) were the most common diagnostic tests in T, whereas computed tomography was most common in N (83%) and A (68%) patients. Bowel resection occurred more often in older (T) patients (P = .001). The most frequent causative pathologic conditions were adenitis (T), Peutz-Jeghers polyp (N), and carcinoma (A) and prior gastric bypass in 10 A patients. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of intussusception is substantially higher in nontraditional age groups than previously reported. Symptoms, management strategies, and causative pathologic conditions varied with age. All adults with intussusception require definitive diagnostic testing to determine the cause, given the concerning list of possibilities we observed.

[Prevalence and risk factors of thromboembolic complications in inflammatory bowel disease]. / Prévalence et facteurs de risque des complications thromboemboliques au cours des maladies inflammatoires chroniques de l'intestin.

BACKGROUND: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk of thromboembolic complications (TEC), which represent an important cause of morbidity and mortality. AIM: To assess the prevalence and risk factors of TEC in patients with IBD. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study including all the IBD patients in the gastroenterological department of Charles Nicolle hospital between 2000 and 2010. Only thromboembolic events that had been diagnosed by an imaging procedure were counted. RESULTS: A total of 266 patients with IBD were consecutively included. TE events occurred in nine patients (3.4%); six men and three women. Their mean age was 31 years [15-64 years]. Five patients had Crohn's disease and four had ulcerative colitis. The types of TEC were deep venous thrombosis of the leg in five cases with pulmonary embolism in one of them, cerebral venous thrombosis in two cases, portal thrombosis in one case and jugular vein thrombosis in one case. Active disease was present in all cases at the time TEC occurred. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the prevalence of TEC is 3.4% in patients with IBD. Deep venous thromboses of the leg are the most common TEC and all our cases occurs during the active phase of IBD.

Defining DIOS and constipation in cystic fibrosis with a multicentre study on the incidence, characteristics, and treatment of DIOS.

OBJECTIVES: Various definitions for distal intestinal obstruction syndrome (DIOS), meconium ileus equivalent, and constipation in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are used. However, an unequivocal definition for DIOS, meconium ileus equivalent, and constipation is preferred. The aims of this study were, therefore, to seek consensus on the definitions for DIOS and constipation in patients with CF and to determine the incidence, characteristics, and treatment of DIOS in a cohort of paediatric patients with CF. METHODS: During the 2005 European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition meeting in Porto a group of paediatric gastroenterologists discussed the definition of DIOS and constipation in CF. Subsequently, all patients younger than or equal to 18 years with complete DIOS according to the definition agreed upon and diagnosed during the years 2001 to 2005 in 8 CF centres were studied. RESULTS: Distal intestinal obstruction syndrome was defined as an acute complete or incomplete faecal obstruction in the ileocaecum, whereas constipation was defined as gradual faecal impaction of the total colon. Fifty-one episodes of DIOS in 39 patients were recorded, giving an overall incidence of 6.2 (95% confidence interval, 4.4-7.9) episodes per 1000 patient-years. Of the 39 patients with DIOS, 20% experienced a relapse, 92% were pancreatic insufficient, 44% had a history of meconium ileus at birth, and 82% had a severe genotype. Conservative treatment was effective in 49 of 51 DIOS episodes (96%). CONCLUSIONS: The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition CF Working Group definitions of DIOS and constipation in CF are specific and make a clear distinction between these 2 entities. The incidence of DIOS in the present study was considerably higher than reported previously.

Ileocolonic involvement in Behçet's disease: endoscopic and histological evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to document the frequency of gastrointestinal (GI) involvement of Behçet's disease (BD) at endoscopic examination. Also, we aimed to analyze whether GI lesions were correlated with other systemic components of BD. METHODS: Fifty patients with BD were enrolled in the study. Patients in whom optimal colonoscopic examination of both the colon and terminal ileum could be performed were included. An ileum biopsy was taken from all cases. Upper GI endoscopy findings, presence of genital ulcers, uveitis, dermatological lesions, pathergy test, neurological involvement and peripheral vasculitis, and laboratory findings were recorded. Thirty age- and sex-matched persons who had perfect bowel cleansing and had a macroscopically normal colon and terminal ileum at colonoscopy without any systemic diseases were enrolled as the control group. RESULTS: Nine patients and 1 case had macroscopic ileum and colon lesions, respectively. Microscopic examination of BD patients with normal colon and terminal ileum at colonoscopy revealed 61% abnormal ileum histologies. That ratio was 30% for the control group (p < 0.001). None of the patients had any lesions suggesting BD at upper GI endoscopy. There was no correlation between macro- or microscopic GI involvement and other components of BD. CONCLUSIONS: Lower GI tract, especially ileum involvement, is frequent in BD. Most of the patients have inflammation in the ileum even in the absence of macroscopic lesions.