Subcutaneous heparin versus low-molecular-weight heparin as thromboprophylaxis in patients undergoing colorectal surgery: results of the canadian colorectal DVT prophylaxis trial: a randomized, double-blind trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness and safety of low-dose unfractionated heparin and a low-molecular-weight heparin as prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism after colorectal surgery. METHODS: In a multicenter, double-blind trial, patients undergoing resection of part or all of the colon or rectum were randomized to receive, by subcutaneous injection, either calcium heparin 5,000 units every 8 hours or enoxaparin 40 mg once daily (plus two additional saline injections). Deep vein thrombosis was assessed by routine bilateral contrast venography performed between postoperative day 5 and 9, or earlier if clinically suspected. RESULTS: Nine hundred thirty-six randomized patients completed the protocol and had an adequate outcome assessment. The venous thromboembolism rates were the same in both groups. There were no deaths from pulmonary embolism or bleeding complications. Although the proportion of all bleeding events in the enoxaparin group was significantly greater than in the low-dose heparin group, the rates of major bleeding and reoperation for bleeding were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Both heparin 5,000 units subcutaneously every 8 hours and enoxaparin 40 mg subcutaneously once daily provide highly effective and safe prophylaxis for patients undergoing colorectal surgery. However, given the current differences in cost, prophylaxis with low-dose heparin remains the preferred method at present.

Peritoneal abscesses due to bowel perforation: effect of extent on outcome after percutaneous drainage.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of extent of peritoneal contamination in enteric abscesses on final outcome and duration of percutaneous drainage. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Results were retrospectively reviewed for 11 patients with varying degrees of peritoneal contamination secondary to subacute bowel perforation who were primarily treated with percutaneous drainage. Stepwise linear regression analysis of duration of drainage was performed with use of patient age and immune status, the site of bowel perforation, and the number of peritoneal compartments involved in the resultant contamination as independent variables. RESULTS: In 10 of 11 patients (91%) treatment of the resultant intraperitoneal collections with percutaneous drainage was successful irrespective of the extent of peritoneal contamination. There was no correlation between duration of drainage and extent of peritoneal contamination but good correlation with patient age and site of bowel perforation (r = 0.82, P = .02). CONCLUSION: In patients with enteric abscesses due to subacute bowel perforation, the duration of drainage and final outcome after percutaneous drainage are independent of the extent of peritoneal contamination.

Restorative proctocolectomy and indeterminate colitis.

One hundred seventy-five patients underwent restorative proctocolectomy between November 1984 and December 1992. The pathologic results were reviewed by two pathologists, one being a gastrointestinal pathologist. One hundred fifty-eight patients had a confirmed diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, and 16 patients were diagnosed with indeterminate colitis. In addition, one patient was diagnosed with familial adenomatous polyposis. Eight of the 158 patients with ulcerative colitis required removal of their pouches, and 3 of the 16 patients with indeterminate colitis required pouch removal. By this definition, the success rate for restorative proctocolectomy in patients with ulcerative colitis was 95% and the success rate for restorative proctocolectomy in patients with indeterminate colitis was 81%. Of the 16 patients with indeterminate colitis, 8 have satisfactory pouch function and 5 have some ongoing problems. We recommend this pathology-review approach to more clearly define which patients have indeterminate colitis and, therefore, to more accurately present to the patient the likelihood of success or failure of restorative proctocolectomy with this diagnosis.

Function and quality of life results after ileal pouch surgery for chronic ulcerative colitis and familial polyposis.

The aim of this study was to assess gastrointestinal function and quality of life, including occupational, social, and sexual function, in 75 patients who underwent pelvic pouch construction between November 1984 and May 1988 at our institution. Complications occurred in 45 percent of patients after pouch construction and in 17 percent after ileostomy closure. One patient died from sepsis caused by an anastomotic leak after ileostomy closure. The most common complication was a pouch-anal anastomotic stricture (22 percent), and the complication with the greatest potential morbidity was pouch-anal dehiscence (8 percent), which was highly predictive of pouch failure. Functional results were assessed by questionnaire during the 3-month period after ileostomy closure in all 58 patients who successfully attained intestinal continuity. A second assessment was performed at 15 +/- 11 months after ileostomy closure in 52 patients whose continuity had been restored for longer than 3 months. In an overall assessment, 94 percent of all patients with restored intestinal continuity (73 percent of entire patient group) rated the pouch as being superior to a permanent ileostomy and 92 percent (71 percent of entire group) would go through another pouch procedure. These results support the continued recommendation of this procedure as an acceptable alternative to proctocolectomy and permanent ileostomy in patients with ulcerative colitis or familial polyposis.

Investigations of the anal sphincter before and after restorative proctocolectomy.

Twenty-eight patients who underwent sphincter-saving proctocolectomy and formation of an ileoanal reservoir had clinical evaluation of resting and maximal anal sphincter pressures and perfused catheter manometry. The clinical estimate of resting tone, heretofore believe to be a good predictive parameter of postoperative function, was inaccurate. This suggests the advisability of manometric evaluation. There were significant changes in sphincter pressures postoperatively. Operation did not effect the preoperative electromyographic findings of the puborectalis muscle and external sphincter in our small postoperative population. The mechanism by which operation might influence these parameters has been discussed. Factors such as parity and the descending perineum syndrome may effect continence. Due to the length of time the sphincter is required to function in these patients and the multiplicity of factors involved, we believe that long-term studies are needed.

Gastrointestinal tuberculosis. The great mimic still at large.

Gastrointestinal tuberculosis has declined markedly in frequency since the introduction of antituberculous therapy. As a result, the diagnosis is often delayed in North American patients. Segmental colonic disease, especially in the absence of pulmonary tuberculosis, is often difficult to differentiate from Crohn's disease or a neoplasm. We describe a case of colonic tuberculosis mimicking carcinoma of the hepatic flexure of the colon.

Mechanical preparation of the large bowel for elective surgery. Comparison of whole-gut lavage with the conventional enema and purgative technique.

In this prospective, randomized study, 121 elective colorectal surgery patients had whole-gut lavage (n = 67) or enemas and purgatives (n = 54). Patient characteristics were well matched. Intravenous metronidazole and tobramycin were administered preoperatively initially in 53 patients, with the remaining 68 patients receiving the drugs perioperatively. Bowel preparation was satisfactory (minimal or no contents remaining) in 92.8 percent of patients with whole-gut lavage and 92.6 percent with enemas and purgatives (p = 0.72). Nasogastric tube insertion was poorly tolerated by 39 percent of the patients receiving whole-gut lavage, and enema tube insertion by 23 percent with enemas and purgatives. Fluid infusion tolerance was similar with both techniques. Abdominal wound sepsis occurred in 22 patients (18.8 percent), being unrelated to mechanical preparation or antimicrobial prophylaxis (p = 0.19). Colostomy closure was associated with a 42.8 percent sepsis rate. Excluding this group, wound sepsis with the remaining procedures was 13 percent (statistically significant, p = 0.03). Other complications included intraabdominal abscesses (3.3 percent), anastomotic leaks (2.5 percent), eviscerations (1.6 percent), and an operative mortality of 1.6 percent. We have concluded that whole-gut lavage and enemas and purgatives are equally efficacious mechanically with similar associated wound sepsis rates.

Pelvic recurrence after anterior resection and EEA stapling anastomosis for potentially curable carcinoma of the rectum.

Rectal carcinoma can be treated by anterior resection with EEA anastomosis in order to preserve rectal continuity in those patients in whom anastomosis may be technically difficult. In our initial local experience however, the pelvic recurrence rate has been approximately three times as high as would be expected. The surgical results were good in those patients with Dukes' B lesions. The majority of failures occurred in those with Dukes' C lesions. When the preoperative assessment indicates the strong likelihood of a Dukes' C lesion, consideration of abdominoperineal resection must be given if cure is anticipated. Most surgeons will obtain a more complete pararectal tissue clearance with this procedure than with anterior resection. Those who wish to preserve rectal continuity with curative procedures for rectal carcinoma must become proficient at pararectal tissue clearance if a low rate of pelvic recurrence is to be achieved. The EEA stapler can enable safe anastomosis when these other factors have been accomplished. When cure is anticipated, it can only be provided for the majority of patients at initial surgical resection. The EEA stapler has a unique value in patients who have resectable rectal carcinoma, and yet have distal metastasis by the time initial surgery is performed. The preservation of rectal continuity in such patients is an excellent method of palliation.

Wells procedure for complete rectal prolapse. A ten-year experience.

A retrospective study evaluating 40 patients who underwent the Wells procedure for complete rectal prolapse has been carried out. The procedure is described in detail. Results show a 10 per cent (four patients) recurrence rate. Two have been successfully reoperated on. There was no mortality or morbidity related to the procedure. This relatively simple procedure can be tolerated by most patients presenting with the problem.

Colorectal anastomosis by transanal end-to-end stapling.

In 26 patients end-to-end colorectal anastomosis was attempted using a transanal stapling instrument. The anastomosis was successful in 19 patients. Permanent colostomy would have been the only alternative treatment in 12 patients. In five patients, other sphincter-saving methods of anastomosis would have been technically feasible but more difficult and hazardous. In the remaining two patients standard sutures or side-to-side stapling could have been used equally easily. The technique of anastomosis, the complications and the functional results are reviewed. The authors conclude that transanal end-to-end stapled anastomosis is an important technical advance in colorectal surgery.

Modified Buie amputation for extensive hemorrhoidal disease.

Radical anal surgery of the type described for complicated hemorrhoidal and mucosal prolapse has good to excellent anatomic and functional results in 90 per cent of patients. This has been demonstrated in a group of 100 consecutive patients followed for an average of more than two years.

Current surgical approach to toxic megacolon.

Presented evidence illustrates that proctocolectomy performed as an emergency procedure is frequently less than adequate in salvaging patients with toxic megacolon, and a current mortality of 27 per cent is recorded. The mortality and morbidity of this disease are directly related to the delay in recognition and treatment of this complication and to iatrogenic perforation of the colon during colectomy, which results in fecal peritonitis. This is particularly evident when definitive operation is postponed for more than five days after the initial diagnosis of toxic megacolon. The rationale of current adherence to proctocolectomy for this complication is questioned, and a plea is made for the recognition of the life-saving potential for ileostomy-colostomy for selected patients and also for closer and earlier collaboration between surgeon and internist during the management of these patients.