Lower Gastrointestinal Functional and Motility Disorders in Children.

Functional and motility gastrointestinal disorders are the most common complaints to the pediatric gastroenterologist. Disorders affecting the small intestine carry a significant morbidity and mortality due to the severe limitation of therapeutic interventions available and the complications associated with such interventions. Congenital colorectal disorders are rare but also carry significant morbidity and poor quality of life plus the social stigma associated with its complications. In this review, we summarize the clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluations, and the therapeutic interventions available for the most common and severe gastrointestinal functional and motility disorders of the small bowel, colon, and anorectum.

Facility of Origin Predicts Mortality After Colonic Perforation.

INTRODUCTION: Colonic perforation often requires emergent intervention and carries high morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to determine whether nonclinical factors, such as transition of care from outpatient facilities to inpatient settings, are associated with increased risk of mortality in patients who underwent emergent surgical intervention for colonic perforation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the 2006-2015 ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, we identified adult patients who underwent emergent partial colectomy with primary anastomosis ± protecting ostomy or partial colectomy with ostomy with intraoperative finding of wound class III or IV for a diagnosis of perforated viscus. The outcome of interest was 30-day postoperative mortality. Univariate and multivariate analyses using logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: 4705 patients met criteria, of which 841 (17.9%) died. Univariate analysis showed that patients who died after emergent surgery for perforated viscus were more likely to present from a chronic care facility (13.4% vs. 4.4%, P < .0001) and had longer time from admission to undergoing surgery (mean 4.1 vs. 2.0 days, P < .0001. Logistic regression demonstrated that septic shock vs. none (OR 3.60, P < .0001), sepsis vs. none (OR 1.57, P = .00045), transfer from chronic care facility vs. home (OR 1.87, P < .0001), and increased time from admission vs. operation (OR 1.01, P = .0055) were independently associated with increased risk of death. DISCUSSION: Transfer from a chronic care facility was independently associated with increased mortality in patients undergoing emergent surgery for perforated viscus.

Provider caseload volume and short-term outcomes following colorectal surgeries in New Brunswick: a provincial-level cohort study.

BACKGROUND: American studies have shown that higher provider and hospital volumes are associated with reduced risk of mortality following colorectal surgical interventions. Evidence from Canada is limited, and to our knowledge only a single study has considered outcomes other than death. We describe associations between provider surgical volume and all-cause mortality and postoperative complications following colorectal surgical interventions in New Brunswick. METHODS: We used hospital discharge abstracts linked to vital statistics, the provincial cancer registry and patient registry data. We considered all admissions for colorectal surgeries from 2007 through 2013. We used logistic regression to identify odds of dying and odds of complications (from any of anastomosis leak, unplanned colostomy, intra-abdominal sepsis or pneumonia) within 30 days of discharge from hospital according to provider volume (i.e., total interventions performed over the preceding 2 years) adjusted for personal, contextual, provider and hospital characteristics. RESULTS: Overall, 9170 interventions were performed by 125 providers across 18 hospitals. We found decreased odds of experiencing a complication following colorectal surgery per increment of 10 interventions performed per year (odds ratio 0.94, 95% confidence interval 0.91-0.96). We found no associations with mortality. Associations remained consistent across models restricted to cancer patients or to interventions performed by general surgeons and across models that also considered overall hospital volumes. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that increased caseloads are associated with reduced odds of complications, but not with all-cause mortality, following colorectal surgery in New Brunswick. We also found no evidence of volume having differential effects on outcomes from colon and rectal procedures.

CONTEXTE: Des études américaines ont montré que le volume d'activité des chirurgiens et des hôpitaux est inversement proportionnel au risque de mortalité après la chirurgie colorectale. Les données pour le Canada sont limitées, et à notre connaissance, une seule étude a porté sur d'autres paramètres que le décès. Nous avons décrit les liens entre volume d'activité des chirurgiens et mortalité de toute cause/complications postopératoires après la chirurgie colorectale au Nouveau-Brunswick. MÉTHODES: Nous avons utilisé les registres de congés des hôpitaux reliés aux données de la Statistique de l'état civil, du registre provincial du cancer et du registre des patients. Nous avons recensé toutes les admissions pour chirurgie colorectale de 2007 à 2013. Nous avons utilisé la régression logistique pour établir le risque de décès et le risque de complications (fuite anastomotique, colostomie non planifiée, infection intra-abdominale ou pneumonie) dans les 30 jours suivant le congé de l'hôpital par rapport au volume d'activité des chirurgiens (c.-à-d., interventions totales des 2 années précédentes) ajusté en fonction des caractéristiques individuelles et contextuelles, propres aux chirurgiens et aux hôpitaux. RÉSULTATS: En tout, 125 chirurgiens ont effectué 9170 interventions dans 18 hôpitaux. Nous avons observé un risque moindre de complications après la chirurgie colorectale pour chaque palier de 10 interventions effectuées annuellement (risque relatif 0,94, intervalle de confiance de 95 %, 0,91­0,96). Nous n'avons observé aucun lien avec la mortalité. Les liens sont demeurés constants, peu importe que les modèles soient restreints aux patients cancéreux ou aux interventions effectuées par des chirurgiens généraux et entre les modèles qui tenaient également compte du volume global d'activité des hôpitaux. CONCLUSION: Selon nos résultats, l'augmentation du volume d'activité est associée à un risque moindre de complications, mais n'a pas de lien avec la mortalité de toute cause après la chirurgie colorectale au Nouveau-Brunswick. Nous n'avons pas non plus constaté de lien entre le volume d'activité et l'issue différentielle de la chirurgie du côlon et du rectum.

The Effect of Carbazochrome Sodium Sulfonate in Patients with Colonic Diverticular Bleeding: Propensity Score Matching Analyses Using a Nationwide Inpatient Database.

Objective Carbazochrome sodium sulfonate (CSS) has been routinely used to treat bleeding; however, no study has examined the effect of CSS for gastrointestinal bleeding. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of CSS for colonic diverticular bleeding. Methods We performed a nationwide observational study using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database. We identified patients who were admitted for diverticular bleeding from July 2010 to March 2018. Patients who received CSS on the day of admission were defined as the CSS group, and those not receiving CSS were defined as the control group. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were length of stay, total costs, and blood transfusion within 7 days of admission. Propensity score matching analyses were performed to compare outcomes between the two groups. Results A total of 59,965 patients met our eligibility criteria. Of these, 14,437 (24%) patients received CSS on the day of admission. One-to-one propensity score matching created 14,379 matched pairs. There was no significant difference in the in-hospital mortality between the CSS and control groups (0.6% vs. 0.5%, respectively; odds ratio: 0.96; 95% confidence interval: 0.72-1.29). The length of stay was longer in the CSS group than in the control group (11.4 vs. 11.0 days, respectively; difference: 0.44; 95% confidence interval: 0.14-0.73). There were no significant differences in the total costs or the proportion of patients receiving blood transfusion between the groups. Conclusions CSS may not reduce in-hospital mortality, length of stay, total costs, or the need for blood transfusion in patients with colonic diverticular bleeding.

Association of pre-operative chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury with in-hospital outcomes of emergency colorectal surgery: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Pre-operative kidney function is known to be associated with surgical outcomes. However, in emergency surgery, the pre-operative kidney function may reflect chronic kidney disease (CKD) or acute kidney injury (AKI). We examined the association of pre-operative CKD and/or AKI with in-hospital outcomes of emergency colorectal surgery. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study including adult patients undergoing emergency colorectal surgery in 38 Japanese hospitals between 2010 and 2017. We classified patients into five groups according to the pre-operative status of CKD (defined as baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or recorded diagnosis of CKD), AKI (defined as admission serum creatinine value/baseline serum creatinine value ≥ 1.5), and end-stage renal disease (ESRD): (i) CKD(-)AKI(-), (ii) CKD(-)AKI(+), (iii) CKD(+)AKI(-), (iv) CKD(+)AKI(+), and (v) ESRD groups. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, while secondary outcomes included use of vasoactive drugs, mechanical ventilation, blood transfusion, post-operative renal replacement therapy, and length of hospital stay. We compared these outcomes among the five groups, followed by a multivariable logistic regression analysis for in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: We identified 3002 patients with emergency colorectal surgery (mean age 70.3 ± 15.4 years, male 54.5%). The in-hospital mortality was 8.6% (169/1963), 23.8% (129/541), 15.3% (52/340), 28.8% (17/59), and 32.3% (32/99) for CKD(-)AKI(-), CKD(-)AKI(+), CKD(+)AKI(-), CKD(+)AKI(+), and ESRD, respectively. Other outcomes such as blood transfusion and post-operative renal replacement therapy showed similar trends. Compared to the CKD(-)AKI(-) group, the adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for in-hospital mortality was 2.54 (1.90-3.40), 1.29 (0.90-1.85), 2.86 (1.54-5.32), and 2.76 (1.55-4.93) for CKD(-)AKI(+), CKD(+)AKI(-), CKD(+)AKI(+), and ESRD groups, respectively. Stratified by baseline eGFR (> 90, 60-89, 30-59, and < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2) and AKI status, the crude in-hospital mortality and adjusted odds ratio increased in patients with baseline eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 among patients without AKI, while these were constantly high regardless of baseline eGFR among patients with AKI. Additional analysis restricting to 2162 patients receiving the surgery on the day of hospital admission showed similar results. CONCLUSIONS: The differentiation of pre-operative CKD and AKI, especially the identification of AKI, is useful for risk stratification in patients undergoing emergency colorectal surgery.

Comparison of Decompressing Stoma vs Stent as a Bridge to Surgery for Left-Sided Obstructive Colon Cancer.

Importance: Bridge to elective surgery using self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement is a debated alternative to emergency resection for patients with left-sided obstructive colon cancer because of oncologic concerns. A decompressing stoma (DS) might be a valid alternative, but relevant studies are scarce. Objective: To compare DS with SEMS as a bridge to surgery for nonlocally advanced left-sided obstructive colon cancer using propensity score matching. Design, Setting, and Participants: This national, population-based cohort study was performed at 75 of 77 hospitals in the Netherlands. A total of 4216 patients with left-sided obstructive colon cancer treated from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2016, were identified from the Dutch Colorectal Audit and 3153 patients were studied. Additional procedural and intermediate-term outcome data were retrospectively collected from individual patient files, resulting in a median follow-up of 32 months (interquartile range, 15-57 months). Data were analyzed from April 7 to October 28, 2019. Exposures: Decompressing stoma vs SEMS as a bridge to surgery. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary anastomosis rate, postresection presence of a stoma, complications, additional interventions, permanent stoma, locoregional recurrence, disease-free survival, and overall survival. Propensity score matching was performed according to age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, prior abdominal surgery, tumor location, pN stage, cM stage, length of stenosis, and year of resection. Results: A total of 3153 of the eligible 4216 patients were included in the study (mean [SD] age, 69.7 [11.8] years; 1741 [55.2%] male); after exclusions, 443 patients underwent bridge to surgery (240 undergoing DS and 203 undergoing SEMS). Propensity score matching led to 2 groups of 121 patients each. Patients undergoing DS had more primary anastomoses (104 of 121 [86.0%] vs 90 of 120 [75.0%], P = .02), more postresection stomas (81 of 121 [66.9%] vs 34 of 117 [29.1%], P < .001), fewer major complications (7 of 121 [5.8%] vs 18 of 118 [15.3%], P = .02), and more subsequent interventions, including stoma reversal (65 of 113 [57.5%] vs 33 of 117 [28.2%], P < .001). After DS and SEMS, the 3-year locoregional recurrence rates were 11.7% for DS and 18.8% for SEMS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.30-1.28; P = .20), the 3-year disease-free survival rates were 64.0% for DS and 56.9% for SEMS (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.61-1.33; P = .60), and the 3-year overall survival rates were 78.0% for DS and 71.8% for SEMS (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.48-1.22; P = .26). Conclusions and Relevance: The findings suggest that DS as bridge to resection of left-sided obstructive colon cancer is associated with advantages and disadvantages compared with SEMS, with similar intermediate-term oncologic outcomes. The existing equipoise indicates the need for a randomized clinical trial that compares the 2 bridging techniques.

Efficacy and Safety of Early vs Elective Colonoscopy for Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: We performed a large, multicenter, randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy and safety of early colonoscopy on outcomes of patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (ALGIB). METHODS: We performed an open-label study at 15 hospitals in Japan of 170 patients with ALGIB randomly assigned (1:1) to groups that underwent early colonoscopy (within 24 hours of initial visit to the hospital) or elective colonoscopy (24-96 hours after hospital admission). The primary outcome was identification of stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH). Secondary outcomes were rebleeding within 30 days, endoscopic treatment success, need for transfusion, length of stay, thrombotic events within 30 days, death within 30 days, and adverse events. RESULTS: SRH were identified in 17 of 79 patients (21.5%) in the early colonoscopy group vs 17 of 80 patients (21.3%) in the elective colonoscopy group (difference, 0.3; 95% confidence interval, -12.5 to 13.0; P = .967). Rebleeding within 30 days of hospital admission occurred in 15.3% of patients in the early colonoscopy group and 6.7% of patients in the elective colonoscopy group (difference, 8.6; 95% confidence interval, -1.4 to 18.7); there were no significant differences between groups in successful endoscopic treatment rate, transfusion rate, length of stay, thrombotic events, or death within 30 days. The adverse event of hemorrhagic shock occurred during bowel preparation in no patient in the early group vs 2 patients (2.5%) in the elective colonoscopy group. CONCLUSIONS: In a randomized controlled study, we found that colonoscopy within 24 hours after hospital admission did not increase SRH or reduce rebleeding compared with colonoscopy at 24-96 hours in patients with ALGIB. ClinicalTrials.gov, Numbers: UMIN000021129 and NCT03098173.

A novel simplified scoring system for predicting mortality in emergency colorectal surgery: prediction model development.

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in surgical approaches, emergency colorectal surgery has high mortality and morbidity. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to create a simple and distinctive scoring system, for predicting mortality among patients undergoing emergency colorectal surgery. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prediction model development study based on retrospective data-gathering. METHODS: Patients who underwent emergency colorectal surgery between March 2014 and December 2016 at a single tertiary-level referral center were included in our study. Patient demographics, comorbidities, type of surgery, etiology and laboratory and radiological findings were collected retrospectively and analyzed. A new clinical score (named the Numune emergency colorectal resection score) was constructed from the last logistic regression model, in which one point was assigned for the presence of each predictive factor. RESULTS: 138 patients underwent emergency colorectal surgery. These comprised 64 males (46.4%) and 74 females (53.6%), with a mean age of 64 years. Multivariate analysis revealed that blood urea nitrogen level > 65 mg/dl (odds ratio, OR: 8.03; 95% confidence interval, CI: 2.16-15.77), albumin level < 0.7 -mg/-dl (OR: 4.43; 95% CI: 1.96-14.39) and American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≥ 3 (OR: 3.47; 95% CI: 0.81-9.18) were associated with postoperative complications. The Numune score was graded from I to III. The risk of mortality was found to be 63.2% in the group with grade III, which accounted for 35.2% of the subjects. There were 37 postoperative deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons need scoring systems, especially to predict postoperative mortality. We propose the Numune emergency colorectal resection score for emergency surgical procedures as a practical, usable and effective system for predicting postoperative morbidity.

The Role of Bowel Preparation in Open, Minimally Invasive, and Converted-to-Open Colectomy.

BACKGROUND: Bowel preparation before colectomy is considered an effective strategy to decrease postoperative complications. However, data regarding the effect of bowel preparation in patients undergoing minimally invasive colectomy are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of different bowel preparation strategies in patients undergoing open, minimally invasive, and converted-to-open elective colectomies. METHODS: We identified 39,355 patients who underwent elective colectomy from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program colectomy-targeted database (2012-2016). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the impact of different bowel preparation strategies on postoperative complications and mortality in three subapproach groups: open (n = 12,141), minimally invasive (n = 23,057), and converted to open (n = 4157). RESULTS: Overall, a total of 10,066 (25.6%) patients received no preparation (NP), 11,646 (29.5%) mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) alone, 1664 (4.2%) antibiotic bowel preparation (ABP) alone, and 15,979 (40.6%) MBP + ABP. Compared with NP, MBP + ABP showed the strongest protective effects. MBP + ABP was associated with reduced risk of major complications (odds ratio [OR] = 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.55-0.66), infectious complications (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.46-0.54), any complications (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.51-0.60), 30-d mortality (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48-0.96), anastomotic leak (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.43-0.58), and length of stay ≥ 4 d (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.61-0.67) in overall population. These protective effects, except for 30-d mortality, were observed in open, minimally invasive, and converted-to-open groups. When the analysis was limited to robotic surgery only, MBP + ABP was only associated with reduced risk of major complications (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.38-0.97) compared with NP. The protective effects remained similar over the study time period. CONCLUSIONS: MBP + ABP is a preferred preoperative strategy in open, minimally invasive, and converted-to-open colectomy.

Comparison of decompression tubes with metallic stents for the management of right-sided malignant colonic obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Emergency surgical resection is a standard treatment for right-sided malignant colonic obstruction; however, the procedure is associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity. Although a bridge to surgery can be created to obviate the need for emergency surgery, its effects on long-term outcomes and the most practical management strategies for right-sided malignant colonic obstruction remain unclear. AIM: To determine the appropriate management approach for right-sided malignant colonic obstruction. METHODS: Forty patients with right-sided malignant colonic obstruction who underwent curative resection from January 2007 to April 2017 were included in the study. We compared the perioperative and long-term outcomes of patients who received bridges to surgery established using decompression tubes and those created using self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS). The primary outcome was the overall survival duration (OS) and the secondary endpoints were the disease-free survival (DFS) duration and the preoperative and postoperative morbidity rates. Analysis was performed on an intention-to-treat basis. RESULTS: There were 21 patients in the decompression tube group and 19 in the SEMS group. There were no significant differences in the perioperative morbidity rates of the two groups. The OS rate was significantly higher in the decompression tube group than in the SEMS group (5-year OS rate; decompression tube 79.5%, SEMS 32%, P = 0.043). Multivariate analysis revealed that the bridge to surgery using a decompression tube was significantly associated with the OS (hazard ratio, 17.41; P = 0.004). The 3-year DFS rate was significantly higher in the decompression tube group than in the SEMS group (68.9% vs 45.9%; log-rank test, P = 0.032). A propensity score-adjusted analysis also demonstrated that the prognosis was significantly better in the decompression tube group than in the SEMS group. CONCLUSION: The bridge to surgery using trans-nasal and trans-anal decompression tubes for right-sided malignant colonic obstruction is safe and may improve long-term outcomes.

Reconstructive operations for enteric and colonic fistulas: Low mortality and recurrence in a single-surgeon series with long follow-up.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcomes of 100 consecutive patients undergoing reconstructive operation for enteric and colonic fistulas. These fistulas cause dramatic morbidity and profoundly diminish quality of life. Fistula takedown has been associated with high rates of recurrence. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing definitive fistula reconstruction by a single surgeon were reviewed retrospectively. Major adverse outcomes included bowel leak, fistula recurrence, death, total parenteral nutrition dependence, and incidence of new stomas. RESULTS: Among the 100 patients, median follow-up was 2.7 years. A total of 11 patients had postoperative leaks that evolved to 5 fistula recurrences. Of these patients 3 underwent successful secondary or tertiary takedown. The 30-day mortality rate was 1%, and the combined postoperative and fistula-related mortality rate at follow-up was 3%. New postoperative total parenteral nutrition dependence occurred in 2 patients (2%), and 9 (9%) had placement of a new stoma. Leaks were more frequent for patients who had a history of open abdomen than for patients who did not. CONCLUSIONS: With minimal patient selection and a methodic approach to evaluation and management, we achieved a 96% fistula-free survival rate. Few patients acquired new total parenteral nutrition dependence or a new stoma. These results compare favorably with outcomes published elsewhere.

A novel simplified scoring system for predicting mortality in emergency colorectal surgery: prediction model development

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Despite advances in surgical approaches, emergency colorectal surgery has high mortality and morbidity. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to create a simple and distinctive scoring system, for predicting mortality among patients undergoing emergency colorectal surgery. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prediction model development study based on retrospective data-gathering. METHODS: Patients who underwent emergency colorectal surgery between March 2014 and December 2016 at a single tertiary-level referral center were included in our study. Patient demographics, comorbidities, type of surgery, etiology and laboratory and radiological findings were collected retrospectively and analyzed. A new clinical score (named the Numune emergency colorectal resection score) was constructed from the last logistic regression model, in which one point was assigned for the presence of each predictive factor. RESULTS: 138 patients underwent emergency colorectal surgery. These comprised 64 males (46.4%) and 74 females (53.6%), with a mean age of 64 years. Multivariate analysis revealed that blood urea nitrogen level > 65 mg/dl (odds ratio, OR: 8.03; 95% confidence interval, CI: 2.16-15.77), albumin level < 0.7 ­mg/­dl (OR: 4.43; 95% CI: 1.96-14.39) and American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≥ 3 (OR: 3.47; 95% CI: 0.81-9.18) were associated with postoperative complications. The Numune score was graded from I to III. The risk of mortality was found to be 63.2% in the group with grade III, which accounted for 35.2% of the subjects. There were 37 postoperative deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons need scoring systems, especially to predict postoperative mortality. We propose the Numune emergency colorectal resection score for emergency surgical procedures as a practical, usable and effective system for predicting postoperative morbidity.

Simplified risk prediction indices do not accurately predict 30-day death or readmission after discharge following colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Risk-prediction indices are one category of the many tools implemented to guide efforts to decrease readmissions. However, using fied models to predict a complex process can prove challenging. In addition, no risk-prediction index has been developed for patients undergoing colorectal surgery. Therefore, we evaluated the performance of a widely utilized simplified index developed at the hospital level - LACE (length of stay, acute admission, Charlson comorbidity index score, and emergency department visits) and developed and evaluated a novel index in predicting readmissions in this patient population. METHODS: Using a retrospective split-sample cohort, patients discharged after colorectal surgery were identified within the inpatient databases of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project for the states of New York, California, and Florida (2006-2014). The primary outcome was death or readmission within 30 days after discharge. Multivariable logistic regression models incorporated patient comorbidities, postoperative complications, and hospitalization details, and were evaluated using the C statistic. RESULTS: A total of 440,742 patients met eligibility criteria. The rate of death or readmission within 30 days after discharge was 14.0% (n = 61,757). When applied to surgical patients, the LACE index demonstrated a poor model fit (C = 0.631). The model fit improved significantly-but remained poor (C = 0.654; P < .001)-with the addition of the following variables, which are known to be associated with readmission after colorectal surgery: age, indication for surgery, and creation of a new ostomy. A novel, simplified model also yielded a poor model fit (C = 0.660). CONCLUSION: Postdischarge death or readmission after colorectal surgery is not accurately modeled using existing, modified, or novel simplified risk prediction models. Payers and providers must ensure that quality improvement efforts applying simplified models to complex processes, such as readmissions following colorectal surgery, may not be appropriate, and that models reflect the relevant patient population.

Short- and long-term clinical outcomes of self-expandable metal stents inserted for colorectal obstruction and efficacy of different insertion techniques.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To evaluate the short- and long-term clinical outcomes of patients after colorectal stent placement and (2) to assess the safety and efficacy of the stents for the resolution of colorectal obstruction according to the insertion technique. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study which included 177 patients with colonic obstruction who underwent insertion of a stent. RESULTS: A total of 196 stents were implanted in 177 patients. Overall, the most common cause of obstruction was colorectal cancer (89.3%). Ninety-two stents (47%) were placed by radiologic technique and 104 (53%) by endoscopy under fluoroscopic guidance. Technical success rates were 95% in both groups. Clinical success rates were 77% in the radiological group and 81% in the endoscopic group (p>0.05). The rate of complications was higher in the radiologic group compared with the endoscopic group (38% vs 20%, respectively; p=0.006). Among patients with colorectal cancer (158), 65 stents were placed for palliation but 30% eventually required surgery. The multivariate analysis identified three factors associated with poorer long-term survival: tumor stage IV, comorbidity and onset of complications. CONCLUSIONS: Stents may be an alternative to emergency surgery in colorectal obstruction, but the clinical outcome depends on the tumor stage, comorbidity and stent complications. The rate of definitive palliative stent placement was high; although surgery was eventually required in 30%. Our study suggests that the endoscopic method of stent placement is safer than the radiologic method.

Primary Outcome of Laparoscopic Colorectal Resections in a Northern Finnish Hospital: A Single Center Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Over the past decades, laparoscopic colorectal surgery has become widely used for various indications. Large multicenter studies have demonstrated that laparoscopy has clear advantages over open surgery. Compared to open procedures, laparoscopy decreases perioperative blood loss, post-operative pain, and hospitalization time, but provides equivalent long-term oncological and surgical results. Most studies have been conducted in high-volume institutions with selected patients, which may have influenced the reported outcome of laparoscopy. Here, we investigated the primary outcome of all laparoscopic colorectal resections performed between 2005 and 2015 in a low-volume center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included bowel resections performed between 2005 and 2015 in the Lapland Central Hospital. Data were retrieved from electronic patient registries, and all operations that began as a laparoscopy were included. Patient records were investigated to determine the primary surgical outcome and possible complications within the first 30 days after surgery. RESULTS: During 2005-2015, 385 laparoscopic colorectal resections were performed. Indications included benign (n = 166 patients, 43.1%) and malignant lesions (n = 219 cases, 56.9%). The median patient age was 68 years, and 50.4% were male. The median American Society of Anesthesiologist score was III, and 48.5% of patients had an American Society of Anesthesiologist class of III or IV. The median hospital stay after surgery was 6 days (interquartile range: 3.8). The conversion rate to open surgery rate was 13%. The total surgical complication rate was 24.2%, and re-operation was required in 11.2% of patients. A total of 26 patients had anastomotic leakage, of which 16 required re-operations. The 30-day mortality was 0.8%. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that laparoscopic colorectal surgery in a peripheral hospital resulted in primary outcome rates within the range of those reported in previous multicenter trials. Therefore, the routine use of laparoscopic colorectal resections with high-quality outcome is feasible in small and peripheral surgical units.

Mortality and Morbidity After Hartmann's Procedure Versus Primary Anastomosis Without a Diverting Stoma for Colorectal Perforation: A Nationwide Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: The benefit of primary anastomosis (PA) without a diverting stoma over Hartmann's procedure (HP) for colorectal perforation remains controversial. We compared postoperative mortality and morbidity between HP and PA without a diverting stoma for colorectal perforation of various etiologies. METHODS: Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we extracted data on patients who underwent emergency open laparotomy for colorectal perforation of various etiologies from July 1, 2010 to March 31, 2014. We compared 30-day mortality, postoperative complication rates, and postoperative critical care interventions between HP and PA groups using propensity score matching, inverse probability of treatment weighting, and instrumental variable analyses to adjust for measured and unmeasured confounding factors. RESULTS: We identified 8500 eligible patients (5455 HP and 3045 PA). In the propensity score-matched model, a significant difference between the HP and PA groups was detected in 30-day mortality (7.7% vs. 9.6%; risk difference, 1.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5-3.4). The inverse probability of treatment weighting showed similar results (8.8% vs. 10.7%; risk difference, 1.9%; 95% CI, 1.0-2.8). In the instrumental variable analysis, the point estimate suggested similar direction to that of the propensity score analyses (risk difference, 4.4%; 95% CI, -3.3 to 12.1). The PA group had significantly higher rates of secondary surgery for complications (4.6% vs. 8.4%; risk difference, 3.8%; 95% CI, 2.5-4.1) and slightly longer duration of postoperative critical care interventions. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a significant difference in 30-day mortality between HP and PA without a diverting stoma.

Effect of surgeon "experience" with laparoscopy on postoperative outcomes after colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Although the relationship between laparoscopic surgery and improved clinical outcomes has been well established across a variety of procedures, the effect of operative experience with laparoscopic surgery remains less defined. The present study sought to assess the comparative benefit of laparoscopic colorectal surgery relative to surgeon volume. METHODS: Commercially insured patients aged 18 to 64 years undergoing a colorectal resection were identified using the MarketScan Database from 2010-2014. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to calculate and compare postoperative mortality/morbidity by operative approach relative to surgeon volume. RESULTS: A total of 21,827 patients were identified who met inclusion criteria. The median age among patients was 53 years (interquartile range: 46-59) with a slight majority of patients being female (n = 11,248, 51.5%). Laparoscopic operations were performed in 49.2% of patients (n = 10,756), whereas 50.7% (n = 11,071) underwent an open colorectal resection. On multivariable analysis, laparoscopic surgery was associated with 64% decreased odds of developing a postoperative complication or mortality (odds ratio = 0.36, 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.41, P < .001). Patients who underwent colectomy performed by a higher operative volume surgeon (high versus low: odds ratio = 0.68, 95% confidence interval, 0.61-0.77, P < .001) demonstrated decreased odds of developing a postoperative complication/mortality. Interestingly the potential decrease in risk-adjusted morbidity/mortality between laparoscopic and open surgery was somewhat greater among high-operative-volume surgeons (odds ratio = 0.29, 95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.34, P < .001) and intermediate-operative-volume surgeons (odds ratio = 0.30, 95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.36, P < .001) compared with low-operative-volume surgeons (odds ratio = 0.36, 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.41, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Although laparoscopic surgery was associated with improved postoperative clinical outcomes, the effect of laparoscopic surgery varied somewhat according to surgeon volume.

Laparoscopic colectomy in a district hospital: the single surgeon can be safe.

BACKGROUND: Several outcome measures have been identified for colorectal surgery and published in the literature. This study sought to compare outcomes of high volume laparoscopic colectomy by a single surgeon in a district hospital with outcomes from tertiary referral centres. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of elective laparoscopic colectomy by a single laparoscopic general surgeon in a district hospital over a 51-month period using a prospectively maintained database. The key outcome measures studied were length of hospital stay, conversion to open, anastomotic leak, wound infection, re-admission and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: 187 elective laparoscopic colectomies were performed at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital between July 2008 and October 2012. The median patient age was 69 years (range 22-90 years). Median length of hospital stay was 4 days (range 1-48 days). Anastomotic leak occurred in 4 (2.1%) patients. Seven (3.7%) patients underwent conversion to open surgery. Re-admission occurred in 4 (2.1%) patients for small bowel obstruction (1), wound infection (1), anastomotic leak (1) and colo-vaginal fistula (1). There was one post-operative death from severe chest infection (0.5%). These results are similar to those published by tertiary referral centres. CONCLUSIONS: This study of outcomes at a district hospital shows that the outcome reported from laparoscopic colorectal surgery in tertiary referral centres is reproducible at the district hospital level by a single surgeon with a high operative volume.

[Incidence, cause and treatment of colonic perforations in Iceland 1998-2007: A nationwide study].

INTRODUCTION: Colon perforation is a serious illness with mortality reported from 0-39%. Surgery used to be the gold standard but treatment has changed as studies have indicated comparable results with less invasive treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of acute colon perforations in Iceland, causes and treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective, nationwide, multicenter analysis was performed based on ICD-10 codes from databases of the main hospitals in Iceland. Age, gender, year of perforation, cause, means of diagnosis, treatment and outcome were registered. Patients under 18 years and post mortem diagnosis were excluded. RESULTS: 225 patients met criteria, 131 women (58%) and 94 men (42%), median age 70 years (range 30-95). The most common causes were diverticulitis (67%), colonoscopy (12%) and complications during operations (5%). During the first five study years, 27% received conservative treatment while 71% underwent surgery. By the end of the study era this ratio was 45% and 54% respectively. The rate of permanent stoma was 10%. CONCLUSIONS: Diverticulitis was the most common cause of colon perforation in Iceland during the study period. Many patients still undergo surgery but there has been a dramatic change toward more conservative treatment. The rate of stoma closure is comparable to studies elsewhere. 1University Hospital of Iceland, Dept. General Surgery, 2University of Iceland, Faculty of Medicine, 3Akureyri Teaching Hospital, 4Akranes Hospital and Health Care Center, Iceland. Key words: Colon perforation, diverticulitis, Hartmann's reversal. Correspondence: Elsa B. Valsdottir, elsava@landspitali.is.

[Differential indications for ileoanal pouch anastomosis : Ulcerative colitis, familial adenomatous polyposis, synchronous colorectal cancer - Crohn's disease, constipation]. / Differenzialindikation zur ileoanalen Pouchanlage : Colitis ulcerosa, FAP, multilokuläres kolorektales Karzinom ­ M. Crohn, Obstipation.

Ileoanal pouch anastomosis is the procedure of choice for patients with drug refractory ulcerative colitis, indeterminate colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). In selected patient groups this procedure is a treatment option for patients with Crohn's disease, hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), synchronous colorectal cancer and for severe colorectal constipation refractory to conservative drug treatment. The pouch procedure provides the opportunity to avoid a permanent ileostomy. The majority of surgeons prefer the ileal J­pouch as the construction is the easiest to perform and complications and dysfunction rates are low. Due to functional reasons most pouch surgeons favor a circular stapled ileoanal pouch anastomosis. The more radical proctocolectomy can produce sensory defects in the anal canal with subsequent soiling and incontinence. Studies have shown that even after proctocolectomy residual rectal mucosa was found in the anal canal. Therefore, the functionally important anorectal transitional zone should be preserved if possible. Ulcerative colitis can be "healed" with proctocolectomy; however, pouchitis can still occur in one third of the patients. Patients must be informed about the risk of pouchitis and a multidisciplinary monitoring and treatment strategy must be available. In Crohn's disease the ileoanal pouch survival rate of 80% in the long-term follow-up is surprisingly good despite an increased postoperative complication rate. The anal pouch anastomosis is the standard operation in patients with drug refractory ulcerative colitis, indeterminate colitis and FAP. Synchronous colorectal cancer, HNPCC and severe therapy refractive constipation represent rare indications for proctocolectomy where decisions must be made on an individual basis.