Preoperative characteristics and postoperative behavior of bowel wall on risk of recurrence after conservative surgery in Crohn's disease: a prospective study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in patients with Crohn's disease, using transabdominal ultrasound, the morphologic characteristics of the diseased bowel wall before and after conservative surgery and to assess whether these characteristics and their behavior in the postoperative follow-up are useful and reliable prognostic factors of clinical and surgical recurrence. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Ultrasound is effective for evaluating the thickness of bowel wall, the most typical and constant finding of Crohn's disease. No data are currently available concerning the behavior of the diseased intestinal wall after conservative surgery and whether the preoperative characteristics of bowel wall or its behavior after conservative surgery may predict recurrence. METHODS: In 85 consecutive patients treated with strictureplasty and miniresections for Crohn's disease, clinical and ultrasonographic evaluations were performed before and 6 months after surgery. Assessed before surgery were the maximum bowel wall thickness, the length of bowel wall thickening, the bowel wall echo pattern (homogeneous, stratified, and mixed), and the postoperative bowel wall behavior, classified as normalized, improved, unchanged, or worsened. RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between a long preoperative bowel wall thickening and surgical recurrence. Bowel wall thickness after surgery was unchanged or worsened in 43.3% of patients; in these patients, there was a high frequency of previous surgery. Patients with unchanged or worsened bowel wall thickness had a higher risk of clinical and surgical recurrence compared with those with normalized or improved bowel wall thickness. CONCLUSION: With the use of abdominal ultrasound, the authors found that the thickening of diseased bowel wall may unexpectedly improve after conservative surgery, and this is associated with a favorable outcome in terms of clinical and surgical recurrence. In addition to its diagnostic usefulness, ultrasound also provides reliable prognostic information concerning clinical and surgical recurrence in patients with Crohn's disease in the postoperative follow-up.     

Reduced expression of collagen type I and increased expression of matrix metalloproteinases 1 in patients with Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease of still unknown etiology. The aim of our study was to find out whether there are any changes in the colonic wall of CD patients that could give hints for a predisposing disorder concerning the extracellular matrix, especially the collagen metabolism. Eight samples of colonic tissue from patients with Crohn's disease were compared to 14 specimens from patients without Crohn's disease. We performed a sirius red test for the overall collagen content and immunohistochemical studies examining differentiation between" collagen type I and type III and the expression of MMP-1 and MMP-13. In the bowel sections of patients with Crohn's disease, decreased levels of mature collagen type I with a resulting lower ratio of collagen I/III compared to patients without Crohn's disease were found (1.12 +/- 0.29 vs. 1.59 i 0.31).The expression of MMP-1 was significantly increased in the CD group (9.21 i 6.02 vs.6.02 i 1.98), whereas expression of MMP-13 showed no difference in both groups. Our study gives the first indication that preexisting changes of the extracellular matrix in the colonic wall may play a role in the pathogenesis of CD. Further studies have to be done to elucidate these interesting aspect of the pathogenesis in Crohn's disease.     

Fat-wrapping in Crohn's disease: pathological basis and relevance to surgical practice.

The connective tissue changes that accompany intestinal Crohn's disease have received little attention from pathologists. This is particularly so with fat hypertrophy, and yet surgeons have long recognized the phenomenon of fat-wrapping in the intestines and used it to delineate the extent of active disease. A consecutive, unselected series of 27 intestinal resections performed on 25 patients for histologically confirmed Crohn's disease was studied to correlate fat-wrapping with other clinicopathological features. Fat-wrapping was identified in 12 of 16 ileal resections and in seven of 11 large bowel resections. It correlated closely with transmural inflammation and there was a relationship between fat-wrapping and other connective tissue changes including fibrosis, muscularization and stricture formation. Morphometry demonstrated that there was true hypertrophy and that fat-wrapping does not relate solely to bowel wall shrinkage. There was correlation with ulceration but in 11 cases macroscopic ulceration extended beyond the fat-wrapping and in six to surgical resection margins. The pathological features of 225 small intestinal resections were reviewed and fat-wrapping was seen only in Crohn's disease. Fat-wrapping correlates best with transmural inflammation and represents part of the connective tissue changes that accompany intestinal Crohn's disease. Findings also suggest that fat-wrapping alone should not be used as an accurate marker of disease extent at the time of surgery.     

Anal carcinoma in patients with Crohn''s disease

Three patients with Crohn's disease and carcinoma of the anus are reported and compared to a group of patients with anal cancer and no inflammatory bowel disease. The three patients with Crohn's disease were relatively young women with significant perianal disease. There were two squamous cell lesions and one cloacogenic tumor in this group. The relative incidence of anal cancer as a proportion of all colorectal cancer, in patients with Crohn's disease (14%) was found to be significantly higher than the incidence of anal cancer in patients without inflammatory bowel disease (1.4%). Possible reasons for the increased incidence of anal cancer in Crohn's disease mentioned were: an overall increase in malignancies in inflammatory bowel disease, the high incidence of perianal disease, and the chronic long-standing perianal inflammation present. All patients with Crohn's disease, especially if they have active perianal disease, should be observed for the occurrence of anal cancer.     

Metastatic Crohn's disease

. Inflammatory bowel disease, especially Crohn's disease, demonstrates many extraintestinal manifestations. As a result, various dermatological lesions that have a different etiopathogenesis can be seen. In the case of metastatic Crohn's disease, extraintestinal granulomatous lesions may be observed in the orofacial and perianal regions, either accompanying bowel symptoms or as the first sign of disease. We report on a 30-year-old woman with sacral metastatic Crohn's disease who was initially treated with topical corticosteroid therapy and then underwent excision of the lesion followed by reconstruction utilizing bilateral advancement flaps.     

Angioarchitecture of the ileum and colon in Crohn disease]

Vascular changes in resected bowels of Crohn's disease were examined angiographically, microangiographically, micro-preparatorily and histologically. The proper angioarchitecture of the small and the large bowel is being destroyed in the course of the ongoing inflammatory process. Dilated capillaries, destruction of the primary angioarchitecture and its replacement by an irregular, partially bizarre pattern of scar vessels with bundling of the unchanged Vasa recta as varying vessel diameters caused by obliterating secondary fibroses can be seen in advanced Crohn's disease. The angioarchitecture of the pseudo-polyps in Crohn's disease is characterized by an increased number of vessels, bizarrely bended vessels and a radial pattern of veins. All these vascular changes in Crohn's disease are to be seen as secondary changes due to the inflammatory reaction.     

Free colonic perforation in a patient with Crohn's disease and loop ileostomy: report of a case

Free bowel perforation in Crohn's disease is a relatively rare complication. In this report, we present a case of free colonic perforation in a Crohn's disease patient with loop ileostomy previously constructed for intractable perianal abscess. Normally, fecal diversion by ileostomy results in an improvement in Crohn's colitis. However, in some cases, fecal diversion is reported to adversely affect the inflammation of the diverted bowel, and it is this unusual complication of Crohn's disease that we discuss here.     

Crohn's disease and a gastrointestinal stromal tumor in an 81-year-old man--a rare coincidence

We describe an 81-year old man presenting with ileus and two rare, pathologically distinct entities: gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and Crohn's disease. Within Meckel's diverticulum a polypous tumor, 3 cm in diameter, with preserved lumen was found. In the area of the terminal ileum, coecum and colon ascendens inflamed bowel loops were fixed together with fibrous adhesions. Partial resection of the ileum with end-to-end anastomosis and right hemicolectomy with resection of the terminal ileum and end-to-end ileotransverse anastomosis were performed. Pathohistological and immunohistochemical examination revealed the polypous tumor as GIST. Changes in terminal ileum, coecum and colon ascendens were referred as Crohn's disease. Although adenocarcinoma is well known in chronic, long-standing inflammatory bowel disease, other primary intestinal tumors are rare in those patients. Furthermore, Crohn's disease can be a part of differential diagnosis of ileus, also in such an old man.     

Crohn's disease limited to the vermiform appendix

Thirteen cases of Crohn's disease confined to the vermiform appendix were seen during a 12-year period. They constituted 16.9% of patients with primary resection of the bowel for Crohn's disease in the same period, but only 0.4% of the cases of acute appendicitis. In 10 of the 13 cases there was marked fibrous thickening of the appendiceal wall, and in 11 there were epithelioid cell granulomas. Appendectomy was performed in all cases. None had postoperative fistula or later manifestations of the disease within the observation time averaging 6.3 years. The recurrence rate was previously believed to approach that of recurrence after resection in other parts of the intestines. Collective review of this and three other relatively large case series gave an estimated recurrence rate of 3.5%. We conclude that in Crohn's disease initially confined to the appendix the course appears to be indolent.     

Surgery for Crohn's Disease: New Developments

Background/Aims: Crohn's disease is a chronic relapsing inflammatory bowel disease requiring surgery in a large number of patients. This review describes new developments in surgical techniques for treating Crohn's disease. Results: Single-incision laparoscopic surgery decreases abdominal wall trauma by reducing the number of abdominal incisions, possibly improving postoperative results in terms of pain and cosmetics. The resected specimen can be extracted through the single-incision site or the future stoma site. Another option is to use natural orifices for extraction (i.e. transcolonic/transanal), but actual benefits of these procedures have not yet been determined. In patients with extensive perianal disease or rectal involvement, transperineal completion proctectomy is often feasible, thereby avoiding relaparotomy. By using a close rectal intersphincteric resection, damage to the pelvic autonomic nerves is avoided. In addition, the risk of presacral abscess formation is reduced by leaving the mesorectal tissue behind. Conclusion: Minimally invasive surgery and associated techniques have become standard clinical practice in surgical treatment of patients with Crohn's disease. New developments aim at further reducing the hospital stay and morbidity, and improving the cosmetic outcomes.     

Anastomotic configuration as a risk factor in the recurring onset after intestinal resection for Crohn's disease: our point of view

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory chronic intestinal disease characterized of an high level of postoperative recurrence. Actually surgical treatment is not decisive; patients can undergo several operations during their lives, running the risk of coming up against the syndrome of short bowel. The main disease frequently appears in the segment ileo-caecal, while the site more often affected by the recurrence seems to be the stump close to the anastomosis. General, local and not specific factors should influence the recurrence level. Among the general factors, cigarette smoking would have a leading role in the recurrences onset. Giving up smoking and a treatment with 5-ASA (amino-salicylic acid) help to reduce the risk of Crohn's recurrences after surgery. During the treatment of this pathology the wide intestinal resections are not justified because the anastomotic recurrence after resection seems to be influenced not by the presence of remaining lesions but by the type of realized anastomosis. Although they disagree about the type of anastomosis to adopt, the authors agree identifying the anastomotic stenosis as the main factor which determines the recurrences. Stenosis, in fact, determining fecal stasis and, therefore, the increase of the pressure at the intestinal wall level, causes ischemia of this same wall. Ischemia puts up the risk of fistulas and anastomotic dehiscence. The mechanical or manual ileo-colic side-to-side anastomosis, assuring a wide lumen, drops to the minimum the risk of stenosis compared with the end-to-end and end-to-side configurations. And then, the side-to-side ileo-colic anastomosis avoiding the intestinal compartmentation between ileo and colon, guarantees less reflow in the small bowel of bacteria and colic metabolite. In this way the inflammatory process which brings to the fresh outbreak of the disease on the mucosa of the near anastomotic head faints. In the light of this thesis, most of the authors, including the writer, agree about making the side-to-side anastomoses in the intestinal resections for the Crohn's disease.     

Recurrence after strictureplasty or resection for Crohn's disease

This study attempts to define whether there is an increased need for reoperation in patients with small bowel Crohn's disease treated by strictureplasty compared with those treated by small bowel resection. Previous studies of the rate of reoperation for small bowel Crohn's disease do not distinguish between reoperation performed because of a lesion at the original operation site and that undertaken because of a lesion at a distant site. This study analyses the need for reoperation only at the original site of operation and measures operation-free intervals. The site specific operation-free intervals in 41 patients with small bowel Crohn's disease treated by strictureplasty were not significantly different from the similar intervals in 41 patients treated by a small bowel resection.     

Orange/black discolouration of the bowel (at laparotomy) due to clofazimine

Clofazimine, a commonly used anti-lepromatous drug, is now being prescribed for the treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum, a complication of inflammatory bowel disease. This drug can cause an obstructive exacerbation of Crohn's disease. Surgeons should be aware of the orange/black discolouration of the bowel, which may mimic ischaemia macroscopically. A case, the first reported in Australia, is described and the literature discussed.     

Toxic dilatation and perforation in inflammatory bowel disease.

The diagnosis and management of dilatation of the colon and free intestinal perforation in inflammatory or infective bowel disease are reviewed with reference to 32 cases seen during an 8-year period. Toxic dilatation of the colon occurred in 20 patients, including 6 with infective colitis. Ileostomy with subtotal colectomy and mucous fistula is a satisfactory operation for toxic dilatation due to inflammatory bowel disease. Patients with infective colitis can generally be treated without operation. Free intestinal perforation was seen in 12 patients. Colonic perforation may occur in association with toxic dilatation, but more usually it occurs without dilatation as a complication of Crohn's disease. Free perforation of the ileum was seen after a short illness in patients with Crohn's disease.     

Crohn's disease--when to operate?

Crohn's disease is a chronic bowel condition, which can present as a number of different clinical and pathological presentations, depending on localization and activity of the inflammatory process. The aethiology of the disease has not been explained. In each case the treatment should be individually tailored depending on the type of the changes. The indications for surgical intervention are continuous bleedings, recurrent ileus, perforation of the intestine, abscesses, fistulas, failure of pharmacological treatment, resistance to steroids and steroid dependence. In case of the mild type of the disease with few symptoms pharmacological treatment is the right choice In case of the mild type of the disease with few symptoms pharmacological treatment is the right choice process. In malign form of Crohn's disease lack of improvement after 7-10 days of intensive treatment is generally accepted indication for surgical treatment. Fulminant form of the disease is still a clear-cut indication for immediate surgical intervention. Decision on surgical intervention is more difficult and controversial when patient presents with series of subileus recurrences subsiding after conservative treatment. Patients with stenotic form of Crohn's disease usually require multiple operations most of which are bowel resections. Patients with stenotic form of Crohn's disease usually require multiple operations most of which are bowel resections therapy. External and internal asymptomatic fistulas should be treated conservatively. The timing of surgical treatment is essential in Crohn's disease however the prevention from recurrences is also fundamental. It is well proved that preventive administration of 5-ASA (especially mesalazine) and metronidazol can reduce the risk of early recurrences after surgery.     

Management of fistulas in Crohn's disease

AIM: This study was conducted to clarify operative indications, surgical treatment, and postoperative complications of intra-abdominal fistulas in Crohn's disease. METHODS: Of 213 patients undergoing surgical treatment for Crohn's disease in our institution between 1972 and 2000, 55 patients (25.8%) found to have 81 intra-abdominal fistulas were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The most common indication for surgery was intestinal obstruction. A fistula represented a single indication for surgical treatment in 9 operations (15.5%). All patients with intra-abdominal fistulas underwent resection of the diseased intestinal segment. Closure of the fistulous defect of the affected lesion was achieved by suture (n = 27), stapled fistulectomy (n = 12), or resection (n = 11). Resection of the diseased bowel was achieved by en bloc removal of the fistula in 15 cases. When the fistula opened through the abdominal wall (n = 12), the diseased portion of the intestine was resected, and the fistulous tract was debrided. Only 1 patient died postoperatively from multiple organ failure because of anastomotic breakdown. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical treatment of an intra-abdominal fistula in Crohn's disease is based on resection of the diseased intestinal segments, and the affected lesion can be sutured. This procedure can be achieved safely, and the incidence of postoperative complications is low.     

Acute surgical emergencies in inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND: Acute surgical emergencies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease may carry a substantial morbidity, but fortunately today, a low mortality. The aim of this review is to delineate the treatment of acute surgical emergencies that occur in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. METHODS: Suitable English language reports were identified using PubMed search. RESULTS: Inflammatory bowel disease can present in numerous ways as an acute surgical emergency. These include toxic colitis, hemorrhage, perforation, intra-abdominal masses or abscesses with sepsis, and intestinal obstruction. Toxic colitis and perforation are best managed with intestinal resection and fecal diversion. Hemorrhage in ulcerative colitis initially requires colectomy with rectal preservation and ileostomy. In Crohn's disease hemorrhage is often focal and localization and segmental resection are performed. Intra-abdominal abscesses should initially be attempted by computed tomography-guided percutaneous drainage followed subsequently by definitive resection. Perianal disease requires abscess drainage with minimal tissue trauma. Intestinal obstruction should be initially managed nonoperatively, with surgery reserved for complete obstruction or intractability. CONCLUSIONS: Acute surgical emergencies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease are rare and can have a high morbidity. With a multidisciplinary approach, morbidity can be reduced and patients can have a rapid return and improved quality of life.     

A case of perforation of the small intestine in Crohn's disease

Perforation of the small intestine occurs rarely in the course of Crohn's disease. A case of perforation of the ileum affected by Crohn's disease was presented. A 92-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital complaining of sudden onset of abdominal pain. Laparotomy revealed peritonitis and two perforations in the diseased ileum. She underwent resection of 60 cm of terminal ileum, ileocecum and adjacent 5 cm of ascending colon with an end-to-end ileocolic anastomosis. The intestinal wall of 40 cm of terminal ileum was thickened and edematous. The bowel lumen was narrow. Several longitudinal ulcers were seen. Histological examination of the resected specimen revealed the perforation in Crohn's disease. The intestinal wall was thickened. The mucosal surface was ulcerated and focally perforated. Ulcerated base was covered by abundant necrotizing mass. The submucosa was replaced by non-caseous inflammatory granuloma comprising with fibroblasts, lymphocytes and plasma cells. Perforated area showed abscess formation with plentiful granulocytes. She died of pneumonia 10 days after operation.     

A rare surgical complication of Crohn's diseases: free peritoneal perforation

BACKGROUND: Free peritoneal perforation is a rare complication of Crohn's disease. METHODS: We evaluated the incidence of free peritoneal perforation among 208 patients with Crohn's disease surgically treated in the period 1992-2000. RESULTS: Five patients (2.4%) suffered from free peritoneal perforation. In 1 patient free peritoneal perforation was the first symptom of Crohn's disease. In 3 cases the perforation was in the small bowel and in 2 in the large bowel. All patients underwent surgery: all cases had a resection of the involved bowel and in two cases an ileostomy was performed in order to prevent severe peritonitis. We did not observed mortality or major complications. CONCLUSIONS: Free peritoneal perforation is rare with about 100 cases reported in literature. No correlation seems to exist with previous corticosteroid treatment. The surgical treatment is mandatory. Simple suture should be avoided. The most appropriate treatment, whenever it is feasible, is resection of the involved bowel with immediate or, in case of severe sepsis, delayed anastomosis.     

Extra-intestinal manifestations of Crohn's disease

Extra-intestinal manifestations occur in at least 25% of Crohn's disease patients. Some extra-intestinal manifestations, such as erythema nodusum and peripheral arthropathy, will wax and wane in keeping with bowel inflammation. The more severe cutaneous ulcerations, uveitis, and axial arthropathy may precede bowel disease or persist after it subsides. Screening may be appropriate for eye disease and for osteoporosis to prevent complications. Medical management for extra-intestinal manifestations is similar to treatment for the bowel symptoms of Crohn's disease, with corticosteroids the mainstay. Pain and depression are associated with inflammatory bowel disease, and their control benefits patients. Recent small studies with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents are promising for most extra-intestinal manifestations of Crohn's disease, and may permit more steroid-sparing disease control in the future.