Long-term ileoanal pouch survival after pouch urinary tract fistulae.

BACKGROUND: Ileoanal pouch is a demanding procedure with many potential technical complications including bladder or ureteral injury, while inflammation or stricture of the anastomosis or anal transition zone may lead to the formation of strictures and fistulae, including to the adjacent urethra. Pouch urinary tract fistulae are rare. We aimed to describe the presentation, diagnostic workup, and management of patients with pouch urinary at our center. METHODS: Our prospectively maintained pouch registry was queried using diagnostic codes and natural language processing free-text searches to identify ileoanal pouch patients diagnosed with any pouch-urinary tract fistula from 1997 to 2022. Descriptive statistics and pouch survival using Kaplan-Meier curves are presented. Numbers represent frequency (proportion) or median (range). RESULTS: Over 25 years, urinary fistulae were observed 27 pouch patients; of these, 16 of the index pouches were performed at our institution [rate 0.3% (16/5236)]. Overall median age was 42 (27-62) years, and 92.3% of the patients were male. Fistula locations included pouch-urethra in 13 patients (48.1%), pouch-bladder in 12 patients (44.4%), and anal-urethra in 2 (7.4%). The median time from pouch to fistula was 7.0 (0.3-38) years. Pouch excision and end ileostomy were performed in 12 patients (bladder fistula, n = 3; urethral fistula, n = 9), while redo ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) was performed in 5 patients (bladder fistula, n = 3; urethral fistula, n = 2). The 5-year overall pouch survival after fistula to the bladder was 58.3% vs. 33.3% with urethral fistulae (p = 0.25). CONCLUSION: Pouch-urinary tract fistulae are a rare, morbid, and difficult to treat complication of ileoanal pouch that requires a multidisciplinary, often staged, surgical approach. In the long term, pouches with bladder fistulae were more likely to be salvaged than pouches with urethral fistulae.

Defining the safety of early ileostomy closure after ileal pouch anal anastomosis.

PURPOSE: The safety of early ileostomy reversal after ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) has not been established. Our hypothesis was that ileostomy reversal before 8 weeks is associated with negative outcomes. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study from a prospectively maintained institutional database. Patients who underwent primary IPAA with ileostomy reversal between 2000 and 2021 from a Pouch Registry were stratified on the basis of timing of reversal. Those reversed before 8 weeks (early) and those reversed from 8 weeks to 116 days (routine) were compared. The primary outcome was overall complications according to timing and reason for closure. RESULTS: Ileostomy reversal was performed early in 92 patients and routinely in 1908. Median time to closure was 49 days in the early group and 93 days in the routine group. Reasons for early reversal were stoma-related morbidity in 43.3% (n = 39) and scheduled closure in 56.7% (n = 51). The complication rate in the early group was 17.4% versus 11% in the routine group (p = 0.085). When early patients were stratified according to reason for reversal, those reversed early for stoma-related morbidity had an increased complication rate compared to the routine group (25.6% vs. 11%, p = 0.006). Patients undergoing scheduled reversal in the early group did not have increased complications (11.8% vs. 11%, p = 0.9). There was a higher likelihood of pouch anastomotic leak when reversal was performed early for stoma complications compared to routinely (OR 5.13, 95% CI 1.01-16.57, p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: Early closure is safe but could be delayed in stoma morbidity as patients may experience increased complications.

Excisional haemorrhoidectomy: is it safe in patients with an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis?

AIM: Excisional haemorrhoidectomy in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), especially those undergoing an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA), remains controversial. The aim of our study was to determine the safety of excisional haemorrhoidectomy in UC patients with and without an IPAA. METHOD: A retrospective review of all adult UC patients undergoing excisional haemorrhoidectomy between 1 January 1995 and 1 January 2019 at a tertiary inflammatory bowel disease referral centre was performed. Data collected included patient demographics, clinical characteristics of UC, prior surgical intervention for UC (colectomy, IPAA) and complications after haemorrhoidectomy. RESULTS: Forty-one adult patients [50% male; median age 52 (range 25-79) years] with UC underwent excisional haemorrhoidectomy between 1 January 1995 and 1 January 2019. The majority (n = 23) had not previously undergone surgery for UC. However, eight had already undergone construction of an IPAA at the time of haemorrhoidectomy, seven had IPAA at the time of haemorrhoidectomy and three had an IPAA constructed subsequent to haemorrhoidectomy. Two (4.9%) patients need to go back to theatre for postoperative bleeding. There were no further 30-day complications or long-term nonhealing of the surgical site. There were no pouch complications in those who had haemorrhoidectomy at the time of IPAA construction or in the presence of an IPAA. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that excisional haemorrhoidectomy may be performed safely in carefully selected UC patients with symptomatic haemorrhoids with or without IPAA and even at the time of IPAA construction.

Small bowel adenocarcinoma in Crohn's disease: a rare but devastating complication.

BACKGROUND: Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) remains a rare entity but occurs at increased frequency in the setting of chronic Crohn's disease (CD). Our aim was to study the presentation, diagnosis and prognosis of SBA in patients undergoing surgery for CD at a single institution. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of all patients with CD complicated by adenocarcinoma of the small bowel from 2000 to 2017. Descriptive statistics and Kaplan-Meier overall survival estimates were calculated. RESULTS: In total, 22 patients (14 males) with CD (median duration of Crohn's diagnosis 32 years) were diagnosed with SBA and underwent surgical resection (8 isolated small bowel resections, 12 ileocolic resections, and 2 total proctocolectomies). The median patient age at the time of diagnosis was 54 years (range 22-82 years). A total of 17 patients (77%) underwent cross-sectional CT imaging within 3 months of surgery, a cancer diagnosis was suggested in only one patient. In one other patient, SBA was diagnosed preoperatively on endoscopic biopsy of the terminal ileum. The remaining patients were operated on for obstruction (n = 17), abscess or fistulizing disease (n = 2), and sigmoid cancer (n = 1). For these 20 (90%) patients not suspected to have SBA on preoperative assessment, 5 (25%) were diagnosed intraoperatively on frozen section and 15 (75%) were unexpectedly diagnosed postoperatively on final pathology. T staging was characterized by more advanced tumors (T4: 59%, T3: 27%, T2: 9%, and T1: 5%). Nine patients (41%) had nodal involvement and five patients (23%) had hepatic and/or peritoneal carcinomatosis. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival estimates for our cohort were 84%, 30%, and 10%, respectively. Median survival was 30.5 months with median follow-up of 23 months (range 6-84 months). CONCLUSIONS: SBA in the setting of CD is most commonly found incidentally after surgical resection for benign indications. As such, any suspicious finding at the time of surgery in a patient with chronic CD should warrant careful investigation with frozen section and/or resection. Prognosis for CD complicated by SBA remains poor even in the modern era.

Ileal pouch revision vs excision: short-term (30-day) outcomes from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

AIM: Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) failure occurs in approximately 5%-10% of patients. We aimed to compare short-term (30-day) postoperative outcomes associated with pouch revision and pouch excision using a large international database. Our null hypothesis was that there is no statistically significant difference in overall postoperative complications between patients selected for pouch revision vs pouch excision. METHODS: Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Participant User File from 2005 to 2016 we identified patients who underwent either IPAA revision via the combined abdominoperineal approach [Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) 46712] or IPAA excision (CPT 45136). Differences in baseline characteristics and short-term outcomes between groups were assessed with univariate and matched analyses. RESULTS: We identified 593 reoperative IPAA procedures: revision group 78 (13%) and excision group 515 (86%). The groups had similar age and body mass index (kg/m2 ), but the revision group had more women (65.4% vs 51.8%, P = 0.02) and fewer were on chronic steroids (3.9% vs 17.9%, P = 0.0008) relative to the excision group. Revision IPAA patients were more likely to have received a preoperative transfusion (5.1% vs 0.97%, P = 0.02). Revision and excision were associated with similar postoperative length of stay (9.3 vs 8.6 days, 0.44), mortality (nil vs 0.58%, respectively; P = 0.99) and short-term morbidity (34.6% vs 40.2%, respectively; P = 0.88) at 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: Pouch revision and excision have comparable short-term postoperative outcomes, but pouch excision appears to be more commonly utilized. Increased awareness of the indications for pouch revision or referral to specialized centres may improve pouch revision rates.

Difference in the frequency of pouchitis between ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis: is the explanation in peripouch fat?

AIM: Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have an unexplained higher incidence of pouchitis and a greater amount of peripouch fat compared with patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). The aims of this study were to compare the peripouch fat areas between patients with UC and patients with FAP, and to explore relationship between peripouch fat and pouchitis or chronic antibiotic-refractory pouchitis (CARP). METHOD: Patients with an abdominal CT image from our prospectively maintained Pouch Database were included. Abdominal fat and peripouch fat were measured on CT images at different levels or planes. Comparisons of peripouch fat and CARP were performed before and after propensity score matching. RESULTS: A total of 277 patients with UC and 40 patients with FAP were included. Compared with patients with FAP, patients with UC were found to have a higher incidence of pouchitis (58.5% vs 15.0%, P < 0.001) and CARP (24.5% vs 2.5%, P = 0.002) and a higher total peripouch fat area (P = 0.030) and mesenteric peripouch fat area (P = 0.022) at Level-3. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that diagnosis (UC vs FAP) and peripouch fat areas at Level-3 and Level-5 were independent risk factors for CARP. With propensity score matching, 38 pairs of patients with UC and FAP were matched successfully. After matching, patients with UC were found to have higher total peripouch fat area and higher mesenteric peripouch fat area at Level-3, and a higher incidence of pouchitis (57.9% vs 13.2%, P < 0.001) and CARP (23.7% vs 2.6%, P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that patients with UC have more peripouch fat than those with FAP, which may explain the difference in the frequency of pouchitis and CARP between these groups of patients.

Outcomes of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis without primary diverting loop ileostomy if postoperative sepsis develops.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to assess the short-term and long-term consequences of diverting loop ileostomy (DLI) omission in ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) surgery complicated by postoperative pelvic sepsis. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database. Of 4031 patients who underwent IPAA in 1983-2014, 357 developed IPAA-related pelvic sepsis with or without anastomotic dehiscence. Patients with Crohn's disease or cancer were excluded. The patient cohort was divided into two groups, depending on the presence or absence of DLI. Patient characteristics, short-term and long-term outcomes were compared. Long-term pouch survival was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Quality of life (QOL) in the groups was compared at the latest follow-up. RESULTS: Three hundred and twenty-six patients developing pelvic sepsis had diversion at the time of IPAA (D group) and in 31 who developed pelvic sepsis DLI had been omitted (O group). The length of hospital stay was significantly longer in the O group 11.5 (3-33) days versus 8 (2-59) days in the D group (p = 0.006). Forty-eight percent of patients from the O group with anastomotic leak underwent reoperation and had a DLI formed at this second procedure versus 12% in the D group requiring reoperation (p < 0.0001). In long-term follow-up, there was no difference in pouch survival between the groups: 99 versus 97% after 5 years and 88 versus 87% after 10 years, in the O group and D group, respectively (p = 0.40). There was no difference in QOL observed between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Omission of DLI in selected patients who had IPAA surgery did not increase pouch failure or adversely affect QOL in the long term, if pelvic sepsis occurred.

Restorative proctocolectomy: an example of how surgery evolves in response to paradigm shifts in care.

AIM: Surgical technique constantly evolves in response to the pressure of progress. Ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) is a good example. We analysed the effect of changes in practice on the technique of IPAA and its outcomes. METHOD: Patients undergoing primary IPAA at this institution were divided into three groups by date of the IPAA: those operated from 1983 to 1993, from 1994 to 2004 and from 2005 to 2015. Demographics, patient comorbidity, surgical techniques, postoperative outcomes, pouch function and quality of life were analysed. RESULTS: In all, 4525 patients had a primary IPAA. With each decade, increasing numbers of surgeons were involved (decade I, 8; II, 16; III, 31), patients tended to be sicker (higher American Society of Anesthesiologists score) and three-staged pouches became more common. After an initial popularity of the S pouch, J pouches became dominant and a mucosectomy rate of 12% was standard. The laparoscopic technique blossomed in the last decade. 90-day postoperative morbidity by decade was 38.3% vs 50% vs 48% (P < 0.0001), but late morbidity decreased from 74.2% through 67.1% to 30% (P < 0.0001). Functional results improved, but quality of life scores did not. Pouch survival rate at 10 years was maintained (94% vs 95.2% vs 95.2%; P = 0.06). CONCLUSION: IPAA is still evolving. Despite new generations of surgeons, a more accurate diagnosis, appropriate staging and the laparoscopic technique have made IPAA a safer, more effective and enduring operation.

The need for unique risk adjustment for surgical site infections at a high-volume, tertiary care center with inherent high-risk colorectal procedures.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to create a unique risk adjustment model for surgical site infection (SSI) in patients who underwent colorectal surgery (CRS) at the Cleveland Clinic (CC) with inherent high risk factors by using a nationwide database. METHODS: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried to identify patients who underwent CRS between 2005 and 2010. Initially, CC cases were identified from all NSQIP data according to case identifier and separated from the other NSQIP centers. Demographics, comorbidities, and outcomes were compared. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association between SSI and center-related factors. RESULTS: A total of 70,536 patients met the inclusion criteria and underwent CRS, 1090 patients (1.5%) at the CC and 69,446 patients (98.5%) at other centers. Male gender, work-relative value unit, diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease, pouch formation, open surgery, steroid use, and preoperative radiotherapy rates were significantly higher in the CC cases. Overall morbidity and individual postoperative complication rates were found to be similar in the CC and other centers except for the following: organ-space SSI and sepsis rates (higher in the CC cases); and pneumonia and ventilator dependency rates (higher in the other centers). After covariate adjustment, the estimated degree of difference between the CC and other institutions with respect to organ-space SSI was reduced (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.08-1.77). CONCLUSIONS: The unique risk adjustment strategy may provide center-specific comprehensive analysis, especially for hospitals that perform inherently high-risk procedures. Higher surgical complexity may be the reason for increased SSI rates in the NSQIP at tertiary care centers.

Primacy of surgery for colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The optimal technique for curative resection of colonic cancer includes high ligation of the mesenteric vessels, wide excision of the colonic mesentery and prevention of tumour cell spillage. This article reports results from the authors' institution for patients in whom complete mesocolic excision was performed long before the term was coined. METHODS: Patients operated on for cure for primary adenocarcinoma of the colon between January 1994 and December 2004 were identified from a prospectively maintained, institutional review board-approved, colorectal cancer registry. Medical records and operation notes were reviewed. The primary outcomes were recurrence (local and distal) and age-adjusted 5-year survival. RESULTS: Some 1013 patients (560 men and 453 women) were identified, with a median age of 69 (range 21-96) years. The most common location of the cancer was the sigmoid colon (32·9 per cent), followed by the caecum (26·7 per cent) and ascending colon (17·0 per cent). Operations were performed laparoscopically in 134 patients (13·2 per cent). Median duration of hospital stay was 7 (range 1-64, mean 8·2) days. Overall morbidity and mortality rates were 13·5 and 2·2 per cent respectively; there were 20 anastomotic leaks (2·0 per cent). Some 282 patients (27·8 per cent) had stage I, 386 (38·1 per cent) stage II and 345 (34·1 per cent) stage III disease. Median lymph node yield was 28·3 (range 0-241, mean 28·3), and 12 or more nodes were examined in 88·1 per cent of patients. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 277 patients (80·3 per cent) with stage III disease. Overall local and distant recurrence rates at 5 years were 5·1 and 17·1 per cent respectively. The 5-year local recurrence rate was 2·2, 5·3 and 7·7 per cent for American Joint Committee on Cancer stages I, II and III respectively. Corresponding distant recurrence rates were 4·0, 14·7 and 30·5 per cent. The 5-year overall cancer-free age-standardized survival rate was 85·3 per cent. Five-year age standardized survival rates for patients with disease stages I, II and III were 97·7, 90·8 and 69·8 per cent respectively. CONCLUSION: These data define modern results of surgery for colonic cancer with conservative use of chemotherapy.

Long-term outcomes after circular stapled hemorrhoidopexy versus Ferguson hemorrhoidectomy.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare long-term outcomes and quality of life in patients undergoing circular stapled hemorrhoidopexy to those who had Ferguson hemorrhoidectomy. METHODS: Patients who underwent Ferguson hemorrhoidectomy and circular stapled hemorrhoidopexy between 2000 and 2010 were reviewed. Long-term follow-up was assessed with questionnaires. RESULTS: Two hundred seventeen patients completed the questionnaires. Mean follow-up was longer in the Ferguson hemorrhoidectomy subgroups (7.7 ± 3.4 vs. 6.3 ± 2.9 years, p = 0.003). Long-term need for additional surgical or medical treatment was similar in the Ferguson hemorrhoidectomy and circular stapled hemorrhoidopexy groups (3 vs. 5%, p = 0.47 and 3% in both groups, p > 0.99, respectively). Eighty-one percentage of Ferguson hemorrhoidectomy and 83% of circular stapled hemorrhoidopexy patients stated that they would undergo hemorrhoid surgery again if needed (p = 0.86). The symptoms were greatly improved in the majority of patients (p = 0.06), and there was no difference between the groups as regards long-term anorectal pain (p = 0.16). The Cleveland global quality of life, fecal incontinence severity index, and fecal incontinence quality of life scores were similar (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This is one of the longest follow-up studies comparing the outcomes after circular stapled hemorrhoidopexy and Ferguson hemorrhoidectomy. Patient satisfaction, resolution of symptoms, quality of life, and functional outcome appear similar after circular stapled hemorrhoidopexy and Ferguson hemorrhoidectomy in long term.

Gender differences in mortality, quality of life and function after restorative procedures for rectal cancer.

AIM: Studies investigating the functional outcome after restorative surgery for rectal cancer have mainly focused on the effect of different surgical techniques on bowel habit or sexual activity at a single time-point. The aim of this study was to assess, longitudinally, the effect of rectal cancer treatment on bowel function, quality of life and sexual activity. METHOD: The study parameters were assessed using self-administered questionnaires, including the Short Form 36 (SF-36), repeatedly, over a 5-year period. Patient details were obtained from the Cleveland Clinic prospective database. RESULTS: There were 260 (186 male) patients. The mean ages of male and female patients at the time of surgery were 60.5 and 57.5 years, respectively. There was no significant difference in comorbidity or stage between the groups. Women had a better overall survival. More women than men had postoperative radiation and perioperative blood transfusions. Men had a higher percentage of hand-sewn anastomoses (23.9%vs 10.8%, P = 0.018), but there was no overall difference in the mean level of anastomosis (2.3 cm vs 1.9 cm, P = 0.38). Men had worse nocturnal bowel function, more incontinence and a poorer mental component score on the SF-36. Pad use increased over time to a greater degree in women. Sexual activity, which was similar in men and women at baseline, had fallen at 5 years in both genders. CONCLUSION: After restorative resection for rectal cancer, bowel function is worse in men than in women, especially night evacuation at 3 and 5 years postoperatively. Sexual function in both genders declines sharply initially within 1 year postoperatively and more gradually over 5 years.

Colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis has a worse 30-day outcome when performed for colonic inertia than for a neoplastic indication.

AIM: Whether bowel related dysfunction adversely affects postoperative recovery after total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis (C + IRA) for colonic inertia (CI) has not been previously well evaluated. This study compared the early postoperative outcome of C + IRA for CI and for other noninflammatory indications. METHOD: Patients undergoing elective C + IRA from 1999 to 2010 were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Since inflammation in the rectum or small bowel may influence the outcome, patients with inflammatory bowel disease were excluded. Patients undergoing surgery for CI (group A) were compared with patients having the operation for other benign noninflammatory diseases (group B). Demographics, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, body mass index (BMI), surgical procedure and 30-day complications were assessed. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 333 patients undergoing elective C + IRA (99 men, mean age 39 ± 16 years). The procedure was laparoscopic in 163 (49%) patients. Groups A (n = 131) and B (n = 202) had similar age and ASA score (39 ± 11 vs 39 ± 19 years, P = 0.4; 2.2 ± 0.5 vs 2.4 ± 0.7). Group A patients had lower BMI (25 ± 5 vs 28 ± 8 kg/m(2) , P = 0.002), more women (99 vs 51%, P < 0.001) and fewer laparoscopic procedures (43 vs 53%, P = 0.04). Compared with group B, group A had a greater incidence of postoperative ileus (32 vs 19%, P = 0.009), higher overall morbidity (36 vs 15%, P < 0.001) and increased length of stay (8.4 ± 6 vs 7.2 ± 5 days, P < 0.006). These differences persisted when subgroups of patients who underwent laparoscopic or open surgery were compared. CONCLUSION: Although CI is considered a 'benign' condition, patients undergoing C + IRA for this indication have significant morbidity compared with patients having the operation for other noninflammatory benign conditions.

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.

Reconciling chemical flame retardant exposure and fire risk in domestic furniture.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence suggests that standards for resistance of furniture to ignition may lead to an increase in use of chemical flame retardants (CFRs). This is motivating the development of new approaches that maintain high levels of fire safety while facilitating a reduction in use of CFRs. However, reconciling potential fire risk with use of CFRs in relation to specific policy objectives is challenging. OBJECTIVES: To inform the development of a new policy in the UK for the fire safety of furniture, we developed for domestic furniture quantitative models of fire risk and potential for CFR exposure. We then combined the models to determine if any lower fire risk, higher CFR exposure categories of furniture were identifiable. METHODS: We applied a novel mixed-methods approach to modelling furniture fire risk and CFR exposure in a data-poor environment, using literature-based concept mapping, qualitative research, and data visualisation methods to generate fire risk and CFR exposure models and derive furniture product rankings. RESULTS: Our analysis suggests there exists a cluster of furniture types including baby and infant products and pillows that have comparable overall properties in terms of lower fire risk and higher potential for CFR exposure. DISCUSSION: There are multiple obstacles to reconciling fire risk and CFR use in furniture. In particular, these include a lack of empirical data that would allow absolute fire risk and exposure levels to be quantified. Nonetheless, it seems that our modelling method can potentially yield meaningful product clusters, providing a basis for further research.

Adhesions after laparoscopic and open ileal pouch-anal anastomosis surgery for ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests that a laparoscopic approach to colorectal procedures generates fewer adhesions. Even though laparoscopic ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is a lengthy procedure, the prospect of fewer adhesions may justify this approach. The aim of this study was to assess abdominal and adnexal adhesion formation following laparoscopic versus open IPAA in patients with ulcerative colitis. METHODS: A diagnostic laparoscopy was performed at time of ileostomy closure. All abdominal quadrants and the pelvis were video recorded systematically and graded offline. The incisional adhesion score (IAS; range 0-6) and total abdominal adhesion score (TAS; range 0-10) were calculated, based on the grade and extent of adhesions. Adnexal adhesions were classified by the American Fertility Society (AFS) adhesion score. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients consented to participate, of whom 40 could be included in the study (laparoscopic 28, open 12). Median age was 38 (range 20-61) years. There was no difference in age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade and time to ileostomy closure between groups. The IAS was significantly lower after laparoscopic IPAA than following an open procedure: median (range) 0 (0-5) versus 4 (2-6) respectively (P = 0·004). The TAS was also significantly lower in the laparoscopic group: 2 (0-6) versus 8 (2-10) (P = 0·002). Applying the AFS score, women undergoing laparoscopic IPAA had a significantly lower mean(s.d.) prognostic classification score than those in the open group: 5·2(3·7) versus 20·0(5·6) (P = 0·023). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic IPAA was associated with significantly fewer incisional, abdominal and adnexal adhesions in comparison with open IPAA.