Surgical treatment of anorectal complications in Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND: The purpose of our study was to elucidate features, surgical procedures, and long-term results in patients with anorectal complications of Crohn's disease. METHODS: Physical findings, surgical treatment, and long-term outcome were recorded prospectively for 224 patients who had anorectal complications of Crohn's disease between October 1984 and May 1999. RESULTS: Presenting complications included abscess (n = 36), fistula-in-ano (n = 51), rectovaginal fistula (n = 20), anal stenosis (n = 40), anal incontinence (n = 11), or a combination of features (n = 66). Twenty-four patients did not undergo surgical treatment; the remaining 200 patients underwent 284 procedures. Ultimately, 139 patients (62%) retained anorectal function; reasons for proctectomy in the remaining 85 patients included disease (n = 66), extensive fistular disease (n = 15), fecal incontinence (n = 2), and tight anal stenosis (n = 1). Patients with rectal disease had a significantly higher rate of proctectomy than patients with rectal sparing (77.6% vs. 13.6%, respectively, P<.0001). In the absence of rectal involvement, patients with multiple complications had a significantly higher rate of proctectomy than patients with single complications (23% vs. 10%, P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: A wide spectrum of surgical techniques is required for the management of the diverse anorectal complications of Crohn's disease. Complete healing and control of sepsis can be achieved in the majority of patients. Active rectal disease and multiple complications significantly increase the need for proctectomy.     

Gracilis transposition in complicated perianal fistula and unhealed perineal wounds in Crohn's disease.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of transposition of gracilis muscle in the treatment of chronic recurrent fistulas and unhealed perineal wounds after proctectomy in patients with Crohn's disease. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Academic clinic, United States. SUBJECTS: 7 patients with Crohn's disease: 3 had unhealed perineal wounds and persistent sinuses; 2 had had several attempts to repair rectovaginal fistulas; 1 had a rectourethral fistula; and 1 a pouch vaginal fistula. INTERVENTION: Transposition of the gracilis muscle. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Healing. RESULTS: Mean follow up was 18 months (range 3-30). All patients operated on for unhealed perineal wounds had healed completely within 3-6 months. The patients with a rectovaginal fistula and a rectourethral fistula had both healed by 1 month postoperatively. Two fistulas recurred, and the small pouch-vaginal fistula remained but was asymptomatic. CONCLUSIONS: Transposition of the gracilis is a viable option for the treatment of persistent sinus and unhealed perineal wound after proctectomy for Crohn's disease. It could also be an option before proctectomy for patients with other types of Crohn's-related or complicated fistulas for whom other treatments have failed. A larger series will be required before a definite conclusion can be drawn.     

Perianal fistulas in patients with Crohn's disease

A series of 55 patients with perianal fistulas and Crohn's disease is reported herein. Thirteen patients (24%) did not need specific treatment of the fistula. Primary proctectomy was necessary in five patients. Defunctioning enterostomy was used in nine patients, followed by healing of the fistula in four patients. Local surgery of the fistula was performed in 28 patients, with an overall success rate of 79%. Healing of the fistula was not influenced by activity of the disease, type of fistula, or condition of the rectum. Local surgery did not cause incontinence in this series.     

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克罗恩病(Crohn’s disease,CD)往往会导致肛周局部的病变,常见的肛周克罗恩病(perianal Crohn’s disease,PCD)可表现为皮赘、痔、肛裂、溃疡、肛瘘、直肠阴道瘘、肛周脓肿、肛管直肠狭窄及恶性肿瘤。对于这些CD并发疾病的治疗应根据病人个体情况、医生的经验和判断,选择最恰当的治疗方式。大部分手术治疗应在避免有直肠炎症的情况下进行,将肛门失禁的风险最小化,同时避免直肠切除,提高病人的生活质量。     

Primary closure of complicated perineal wounds with myocutaneous and fasciocutaneous flaps after proctectomy for Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to detail the use of advanced tissue transfer techniques to achieve primary closure of the perineal wound after proctectomy for Crohn's disease. METHODS: Between October 1984 and March 2000, we performed proctectomy with permanent intestinal stoma in 97 patients with Crohn's disease. Twelve of these patients (12.4%) required at least 1 myocutaneous flap to achieve primary closure of the perineal wound. Details of each patient's perioperative course were recorded prospectively. RESULTS: All 12 patients had fistulizing perineal Crohn's disease combined with Crohn's proctitis. Two patients had a simultaneous anal adenocarcinoma. Indications for flap closure included management of large perineal skin defects (n = 11), reconstruction of the posterior vaginal wall (n = 2), and the need to fill a large pelvic dead space (n = 3). (Three patients had a combination of the previous indications). In total, 6 rectus abdominis, 5 gluteus maximus, 1 posterior thigh, 3 chimeric posterior thigh, and 1 latissimus dorsi flaps were performed. Six patients required more than 1 flap. Three patients had complications develop related to the flaps (2 wound hematomas and 1 seroma). Complete perineal healing was achieved in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Complex tissue flap closure of the perineal wound after proctectomy for perineal complications of Crohn's disease should be considered when simple closure is not possible or when reconstruction of the posterior wall of the vagina is necessary.     

Effect of Fecal Diversion Alone on Perianal Crohn's Disease

The role of fecal diversion alone for perianal Crohn's disease remains unclear. This study was undertaken to assess its role in perianal Crohn's disease and to examine predictive factors for outcome. Thirty-one patients who underwent fecal diversion alone for perianal Crohn's disease between 1970 and 1997 were reviewed. The principal indications for fecal diversion were severe perianal sepsis in 13 patients, recurrent deep anal ulcer in 3, complex anorectal fistula in 9, and rectovaginal fistula in 6. Twenty-five patients (81%) went into early remission, and six (19%) failed to respond. Of the 25 early responders, 17 relapsed at a median duration of 23 months after fecal diversion. By contrast, 8 patients (26%) went into complete remission and required no further surgery at a median duration of 81 months after the diversion. Altogether, 22 patients required surgery at a median duration of 20 months after fecal diversion: proctectomy in 21 and repeated drainage of anal sepsis in 1. At present, intestinal continuity has been restored in only three patients (10%). The following parameters were compared in patients with and without complete remission after fecal diversion: age, gender, duration of disease, steroid use, smoking, coexisting Crohn's disease, preoperative blood indices, and Crohn's disease activity index. None of these parameters affected the outcome. In conclusion, fecal diversion alone is effective in selected patients with perianal disease, but the prospect of restoring intestinal continuity is low. There were no parameters to identify those in whom a successful outcome is likely.     

Fate of the pouch in 151 pediatric patients after ileal pouch anal anastomosis

Background/Purpose: Ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) offers many pediatric patients a surgical cure for mucosal ulcerative colitis (MUC) with preservation of anal continence. However, some patients incur serious problems after surgery including chronic pouchitis and pouch failure. The goal of this study is to identify clinical and pathologic factors that are associated with an adverse outcome of IPAA. Methods: A retrospective analysis of outcome was performed in 151 consecutive patients [le ] 21 years of age who underwent IPAA with a mean follow-up of 7.24 years (range, 2 to 15 years). Patients were categorized into 4 outcome groups: A, no pouchitis; B, mild, acute pouchitis; C, chronic refractory pouchitis; and D, pouch failure. Pairwise comparisons were used to test the association between the groups and clinical and pathologic variables including age, sex, duration of symptoms, perianal disease, colonoscopic histology, terminal ileitis, operation type, staged versus unstaged IPAA, colonic specimen histology, early postoperative complications defined as less than 31 days postsurgery, late postoperative complications defined as 31 or more days postsurgery, and pouch fistulae. Crohn's disease as a definitive diagnosis and indeterminant colitis, a histologic diagnosis, also were tested for association with the above variables and outcome groups. Results: One hundred and fifty-one pediatric patients underwent IPAA utilizing mucosectomy and hand-sewn S or J (n = 44) and stapled J or S-W anastomosis (n = 107) with 0% mortality rate and outcome as follows: group A, n = 54; group B, n = 73; group C, n = 11; group D, n = 13. Variables strongly associated with poor outcome, groups C and D, were duration of symptoms (P = .03), perianal disease (P = .03), late complications (P [lt ] .001), pouch fistulae (P [lt ] .001), and Crohn's disease (P [lt ] .0001). Furthermore, Crohn's disease was associated strongly with female gender (P = .01), perianal disease (P = .004), early (P = .006) and late (P [lt ] .001) complications, and pouch fistula (P [lt ] .001). The findings of indeterminant colitis, terminal ileitis, and early postoperative complications did not show significant differences between the 4 outcome groups. Conclusions: Crohn's disease appears to be an important determinant of postoperative complications, chronic pouchitis, and pouch failure and occurred in 15% of the authors' patients after IPAA. Indeterminant colitis and the intraoperative findings of terminal ileitis are not associated with Crohn's disease or adverse outcome after IPAA in pediatric patients. Operation type and stage do not alter the clinical course after IPAA in pediatric patients. J Pediatr Surg 38:78-82.     

Seton treatment of high anal fistulae

Seventy-four patients who underwent seton treatment of high anal fistulae over a 6-year period have been reviewed. Four different techniques were used: staged fistulotomy (n = 24), cutting seton (n = 13), short-term seton drainage (n = 14) and long-term seton drainage in patients with Crohn's disease (n = 23). Recurrence developed in two patients (8 per cent) undergoing two-stage fistulotomy; two patients (14 per cent) undergoing short-term drainage and nine (39 per cent) of the patients with Crohn's disease. Three patients with Crohn's disease required proctectomy for progressive perianal disease. The remaining 11 patients with Crohn's disease (48 per cent) obtained a good result. None of the patients treated with a cutting seton developed a recurrence. Minor incontinence developed in 13 patients (54 per cent) undergoing two-stage fistulotomy and seven patients (54 per cent) treated with a cutting seton. When sphincter muscle was not divided, five patients (36 per cent) undergoing short-term drainage and six patients (26 per cent) undergoing long-term drainage developed minor incontinence. High complex fistulae can be successfully treated with only minor loss of continence using different seton techniques. In high Crohn's fistulae, long-term seton drainage preserves sphincter function, but recurrence is common if the seton is removed.     

Treatment of anovaginal or rectovaginal fistulas with modified Martius graft

OBJECTIVE: The treatment of ano- or rectovaginal fistula is still difficult. The use of the Martius flap is well described as an adjunctive technique in their repair. We report our experience of a modified Martius flap in the management of ano- or rectovaginal fistula. METHOD: This is a retrospective study of 14 women presenting with an anovaginal (n = 9) or rectovaginal fistula (n = 5). All were treated by a modified Martius graft. The aetiology included Crohn's disease (n = 7), ulcerative colitis (n = 4), radio-induced (n = 1), obstetric (n = 1) and villous tumour (n = 1). RESULTS: All 14 fistulas healed within the 3 months after surgery. Subsequently, two patients with Crohn's disease required an abdominoperineal resection owing to progressive anal lesions. Two other patients experienced faecal incontinence which improved with functional rehabilitation treatment. CONCLUSION: A modified Martius flap is a valuable option in the treatment of ano- or rectovaginal fistula. In the case of Crohn's disease, however, the prognosis depends primarily on subsequent clinical evolution of the condition.     

Definitive repair of anovaginal fistula in Crohn's disease.

Anovaginal fistula may be a very distressing complication of Crohn's disease. We review the definitive repair of such fistulas in ten patients. The objectives were to cure the fistula, maintain continence and avoid proctectomy. The fistula was low trans-sphincteric in five patients, high trans-sphincteric in three and suprasphincteric in two. Loop ileostomies were formed in nine patients. Overall, after 14 repair procedures 8/10 fistulas are healed. Seven remain healed at a mean of 38 months (range 10-66 months) after ileostomy closure (six) or repair without ileostomy (one). All of the patients are continent. Definitive repair is effective and worthwhile in selected patients with Crohn's anovaginal fistula.     

Role of a defunctioning stoma in the management of large bowel Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND: The faecal stream plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease. This retrospective study aimed to assess the effect of faecal diversion on the natural history of refractory Crohn's colitis (RCC) and severe perianal disease (PAD). METHODS: All patients undergoing a defunctioning stoma without resection for RCC or PAD between 1970 and 1997 were studied. Indications for surgery, acute clinical response, subsequent outcome and stoma rates were recorded. RESULTS: Some 73 patients underwent a defunctioning stoma (55 RCC and 18 PAD). Acute remission was achieved in 63 patients (48 RCC, 15 PAD). Twenty-nine patients had subsequent closure of the defunctioning stoma (25 of 48 acute responders with RCC and four of 15 acute responders with PAD). Eleven patients with RCC and two with PAD achieved good long-term function without disease relapse (median follow-up 36 months). Overall 52 patients have undergone proctocolectomy or remain with a defunctioning stoma (37 with RCC and 15 with PAD). CONCLUSION: Faecal diversion is associated with acute clinical remission in the majority of patients with RCC and PAD, but sustained benefit occurs less often. For selected patients, diversionary surgery alone offers a realistic alternative to major bowel resection.     

Repair of recurrent rectovaginal fistulas

BACKGROUND: Recurrent rectovaginal fistulas (RRVFs) pose a challenging problem, which can be treated by different surgical procedures. We performed this study to determine the ultimate success rate of various repair techniques. METHODS: Using a standard data collection form, we retrospectively reviewed charts of patients treated for RRVF. RESULTS: Between 1991 and 2000, 57 procedures were performed in 35 women who presented with RRVF. Median follow-up was 4 months (interquartile range, 1,25). The causes of RRVF included obstetrical injury (n = 15), Crohn's disease (n = 12), fistula occurring after proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (for ulcerative colitis, n = 3; indeterminate colitis, n = 1; familial polyposis, n = 1), cryptoglandular disease (n = 2), and fistula occurring immediately after low anterior resection for rectal cancer (n = 1). The methods of repair used included mucosal advancement flap (n = 30), fistulotomy with overlapping sphincter repair (n = 14), rectal sleeve advancement (n = 3), fibrin glue (n = 1), proctectomy with colonic pull-through (n = 2), and ileal pouch revision (n = 6). Twenty-seven of 34 (79%) patients with adequate follow-up eventually healed after a median of 2 operations. Logistic regression was used to analyze outcome according to etiology of fistula, patient age, number of prior repairs, time interval between last repair and current repair, and presence of fecal diversion. Crohn's disease, the presence of a diverting stoma, and decreased time interval since prior repair were associated with a poorer outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Most RRVFs can be successfully repaired, although repeated operations may be necessary. Delaying repair may improve outcome.     

Labial fat pad grafts (modified Martius graft) in complex perianal fistulas

Complex perianal fistulas may at times be very difficult to treat. New vascularised tissue can reach the perineum from leg muscles and the omentum. A less well-known source is the labial fat tissue (modified Martius graft) which has a robust posterolateral pedicle and which can be useful as an adjunctive technique for high anterior anal and rectovaginal fistulas. Between November 1993 and July 1997, eight women (age range 18-55 years) underwent modified Martius grafting, six of the eight having a rectovaginal fistula and two a high complex (suprasphincteric) perianal fistula. Anorectal advancement flaps were performed in five patients and three had a transperineal approach with simultaneous anterior sphincter repair because of concurrent anal incontinence. All patients had a defunctioning stoma. The fistula healed in six of the eight patients (75%) and recurred in two patients. The stoma has been closed in five of the eight patients (one patient's fistula has healed but her stoma cannot be closed because of anal incontinence). This is a useful technique when confronted with a difficult anterior fistula in women.     

Rectal preservation in nonspecific inflammatory disease of the colon.

Sixty-three patients with chronic ulcerative colitis and 80 patients with Crohn's disease underwent abdominal colectomy and primary ileorectal or ileosigmoid anastoimosis and were followed up for between five and 17 years. No patient developed carcinoma of the rectal stump. The interval proctectomy rate was similar in both groups (24 and 29%, respectively), the rate being influenced by age in the group with chronic ulcerative colitis. The young patients with ulcerative colitis required proctectomy more often than did the patients with onset later in life. The proctectomy rate was not influenced by the level of the anastomosis. In patients with normal or moderately diseased rectal mucosa, the preoperative condition of the rectum did not influence the proctectomy rate. Functional results were satisfactory in 55% of the patients with chronic ulcerative colitis who survived and in 35% of the patients with Crohn's disease who survived. Because of the non-curative nature of surgery for Crohn's disease, a conservative posture should be maintained, with preservation of normal or moderately diseased rectal segments. If sigmoidoscopie examination and biopsy are done periodically, abdominal colectomy and ileorectal or ileosigmoid anastomosis appears to be a viable option to proctocolectomy in selected patients with chronic ulcerative colitis.     

Adenocarcinoma arising from chronic perianal Crohn's disease: case report and review of the literature

Perianal disease is a common manifestation of Crohn's disease. Rarely malignancy arises in perianal fistulas. The etiology of fistula related cancer remains a subject of debate. We present a unique case of a perianal Crohn's disease with adenomatous epithelialization of a fistula tract and an associated mucinous adenocarcinoma. Our case demonstrates that mucinous adenocarcinoma can arise in long standing perianal Crohn's disease and may be associated with adenomatous transformation of the epithelial lining of the fistula tract.     

Transvaginal approach for repair of rectovaginal fistulae complicating Crohn's disease.

The management of rectovaginal fistulae complicating Crohn's disease is difficult and often unsatisfactory. Between December 1983 and November 1988, 13 patients with Crohn's disease underwent repair of rectovaginal fistulae via a transvaginal approach. All patients had a diverting intestinal stoma either as part of the initial step in the staged management of intractable perianal disease or concurrent with the repair of the rectovaginal fistula. Each of the patients had low or mid septal fistulae; high fistulae generally are treated transabdominally and are not the focus of this discussion. Fistulae were eradicated in 12 of the 13 women and did not recur during the follow-up period, which averaged 50 months (range, 9 to 68 months). The only treatment failure was a patient who had a markedly diseased colon from the cecum to the rectum and a very low-lying fistula. It is concluded that a modified transvaginal approach is an effective method for repair of rectovaginal fistulae secondary to Crohn's disease.     

Treatment of perianal Crohn's disease

Perianal Crohn's disease (PACD) is defined as the presence of persistent lesions in the anal canal and perianal region in patients with Crohn's disease. The relative incidence of PACD in Crohn's disease patients ranges from 15 to 80% in the literature, depending on the accuracy of the clinical investigations and the clinical importance attributed to the lesions in the various study populations. The incidence is significantly higher if the intestinal disease is located in the colon-rectum rather than in the small bowel. We reviewed our experience in 105 patients with PACD, 32 of whom presenting rectal localisation of the primary disease. We observed 2 stenoses, 3 perirectal abscesses, 3 rectal ulcerations, 5 skin tags, 10 fissures and 77 fistulas. Two dilatations under narcosis, 2 intrarectal drainages of abscesses, 19 fistulotomies, 7 partial fistulotomies and insertion of loose setons, 47 loose setons and 4 anoperineal diversions were performed. The remaining patients received medical and topical treatments. After a median follow-up of 30 months, 90 patients (86%) showed a good response with improvement in functional scores, while 15 (14%) showed no improvement or a worsening requiring proctectomy in 13 cases. All patients submitted to proctectomy had rectal localization of the disease.     

Anastomotic‐vaginal fistula (AVF) after anterior resection of the rectum for cancer – occurrence and risk factors

Objective The aim of the study was to assess recto‐vaginal fistula (RVF) after anterior resection of the rectum for cancer with regard to occurrence and risk factors. Method All female patients [median age 69.5 years, Union Internationale centre le Cancer (UICC) cancer stage IV in 10%] who developed a symptomatic RVF (n = 20) after anterior resection of the rectum for cancer from three separate cohorts of patients were identified and compared with those who developed conventional symptomatic leakage (n = 32), and those who did not leak (n = 338). Patient demography and perioperative data were compared between these three groups. Fourteen patient‐related and surgery‐related variables thought to be possible risk factors for RVF (anastomotic‐vaginal fistula) were analysed. Results Symptomatic anastomotic leakage occurred in 52 (13.3%) of 390 patients. Twenty (5.1%) had an anastomotic‐vaginal fistula (AVF) and 32 (8.2%) conventional leakage (CL). Patients with AVF required unscheduled re‐operation and defunctioning stoma as often as those with CL. AVF was diagnosed later and more often after discharge from hospital compared with CL. Patients with AVF had lower anastomoses and decreased BMI compared with those with CL. Risk factors for AVF in multivariate analysis were anastomosis < 5 cm above the anal verge (P = 0.001), preoperative radiotherapy (P = 0.004), and UICC cancer stage IV (P = 0.005). Previous hysterectomy was a risk factor neither for AVF nor for CL. Conclusion Anastomotic‐vaginal fistula forms a significant part of all symptomatic leakages after low anterior resection for cancer in women. Although diagnosed later, the need for abdominal re‐operation and defunctioning stoma was not different from patients with CL. Risk factors for AVF included low anastomosis, preoperative radiotherapy and UICC cancer stage IV.     

Fistulous complications of Crohn's disease.

The fistulas encountered in Crohn's disease are a frequent complication and may be internal or external. The first type are gut-to-gut, the second gut-to-skin. Of the 47 Crohn's disease patients operated in this series, 13 presented at least one fistula. The series included 4 cases (8.51%) of external and 9 (19.14%) of internal fistula. A complete cure was obtained in 92.3%, the one failure relating to the still incomplete closure of an enterocutaneous fistula treated conservatively. Surgical mortality was nil and morbidity 15.38% (one energy reoperation and one delayed closure of a perineal wound following proctectomy). The present review examines the various types of fistula encountered and their possible treatment.     

The effect of intra-abdominal resection or fecal diversion on perianal disease in pediatric Crohn's disease

To determine whether perianal Crohn's disease responds to resection of active intra-abdominal disease or to diversion, 273 cases of Crohn's disease in children (ages 4 to 18 years) were reviewed (all had been seen between 1970 and 1983). Of these, 104 patients underwent an intestinal operation, and 42 of the 104 (40%) had documented perianal disease at the time of their operation. Follow-up averaged 8 3/4 years from time of diagnosis. Three of the 42 died, at 1, 3, and 5 months postoperatively (mortality, 7%) and one was unavailable for follow-up. In these 42 patients with active perianal disease, an intestinal resection with primary anastomosis was performed in 19; one died postoperatively and one was unavailable for follow-up. Of the remaining 17 patients, five (29%) improved and 12 (71%) had continued perianal disease, either without change or worse. At least one further intestinal resection was needed in five of the 17 and two have needed proctocolectomy. A defunctionalizing procedure was done as part of the initial operation in 11 of the 42 patients. Two showed improvement; however, both needed proctocolectomy for rectal disease, and none of the 11 with fecal diversion have had reestablishment of intestinal continuity. In 12 of the 42 patients proctocolectomy was the initial procedure, usually for severe rectosigmoid disease. Of 38 children followed, 20 had proctocolectomy, 11 initially and nine after lesser procedures; overall rate of proctocolectomy was 53%. Resection of active intra-abdominal disease is not necessarily followed by resolution of perianal lesions. Defunctionalizing the rectum with fecal diversion does not appear to alter perianal disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)