Risk factors for major complications after surgical treatment of primary ileocecal Crohn's disease. A multicentric Latin American experience.

INTRODUCTION: Complications after ileocecal resection for Crohn's disease (CD) are frequent. The aim of this study was to analyze risk factors for postoperative complications after these procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients treated surgically for Crohn's disease limited to the ileocecal region during an 8-year period at 10 medical centers specialized in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Latin America. Patients were allocated into 2 groups: those who presented major postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo > II), the "postoperative complication" (POC) group; and those who did not, the "no postoperative complication" (NPOC) group. Preoperative characteristics and intraoperative variables were analyzed to identify possible factors for POC. RESULTS: In total, 337 patients were included, with 51 (15.13%) in the POC cohort. Smoking was more prevalent among the POC patients (31.37 vs. 17.83; P = .026), who presented more preoperative anemia (33.33 vs. 17.48%; P = .009), required more urgent care (37.25 vs. 22.38; P = .023), and had lower albumin levels. Complicated disease was associated with higher postoperative morbidity. POC patients had a longer operative time (188.77 vs. 143.86 min; P = .005), more intraoperative complications (17.65 vs. 4.55%; P < .001), and lower rates of primary anastomosis. In the multivariate analysis, both smoking and intraoperative complications were independently associated with the occurrence of major postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: This study shows that risk factors for complications after primary ileocecal resections for Crohn's disease in Latin America are similar to those reported elsewhere. Future efforts in the region should be aimed at improving these outcomes by controlling some of the identified factors.

Teleconsulta en la pandemia por Coronavirus: desafíos para la telemedicina pos-COVID-19 / Teleconsultation in a pandemic due to Coronavirus: challenges for telemedicine in the post-COVID-19 era

Con el objetivo de detener la transmisión del coronavirus (declarado como pandemia por la Organización Mundial de la Salud [OMS]), y prevenir la propagación de la enfermedad COVID-19, el Gobierno de Colombia decretó un período de aislamiento social y confinamiento obligatorio en el territorio nacional a partir del 24 de marzo de 2020. El Instituto de Coloproctología (ICO) diseñó un programa de teleconsulta, junto con la entidad prestadora de los servicios de salud (EPS) SURA, apoyado en las tecnologías de la información disponibles. Se buscó mantener las actividades propias de la coloproctología y la fisioterapia del piso pélvico para garan-tizar a los pacientes la atención y el acceso ininterrumpido. Luego de 25 días, se programaron 626 consultas (coloproctología 62 % y fisioterapia del piso pélvico 38 %) con un porcentaje de ejecución del 94 % y una resolutividad del 78 %. Estas cifras demuestran que la telemedicina, al igual que otras actividades basadas en el teletrabajo, llegó para quedarse y trae consigo altos niveles de satisfacción para médicos, pacientes y entidades prestadoras de los servicios de salud. En este campo, también, el mundo nunca será el mismo.(AU)

After being decreed, as of March 24, 2020, social isolation and mandatory confinement began in the national territory with the aim of stopping the transmission and preventing the spread of the coronavirus as it was declared a pandemic by the World Organization of Health (WHO). The Instituto de Coloproctología (ICO) designed and developed, together with its largest insurance company EPS SURA and through the available technologies of information, a teleconsultation program, with the aim of maintaining the activities of colorectal surgery and pelvic floor biofeedback and thus guaranteeing uninterrupted medical care and access for our patients. After twenty-five days, 626 consultations were scheduled (colorectal surgery 62 % and pelvic floor biofeedback 38 %) with a percentage of execution of 94 % and a resolution of 78%. This shows that teleme-dicine, like all teleworking activities, came to stay with high levels of satisfaction, in a world that will never be the same again.(AU)