Objectives The mortality of patients with Clostridum Dificile Associated Disease (CDAD) requiring surgery continues to be very high. Loop ileostomy (LI) was introduced as an alternative procedure to total colectomy (TC) for CDAD by a single center study. To date, no reproducible results have been published. The objective of this study is to compare these two procedures in a multicentric approach to help the surgeon decide what procedure is best suited for the patient in need. Methods This was a retrospective multicenter study conducted under the sponsorship of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST). Demographics, medical history, clinical presentation, APACHE score, and outcomes were collected. We used the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) tool to store the data. Mann-Whitney (continuous data) and Fisher’s Exact (categorical data) were utilized to compare TC with LI. Logistic regression was performed to determine predictors of mortality. A propensity score analysis was done to control for potential confounders and determine adjusted mortality rates by procedure type. Results We collected data from 10 centers of patients that presented with CDAD requiring surgery between July 1of 2010 to July 30 of 2014. Two patients died during the surgical procedure leaving 98 individuals in the study. The overall mortality was 32% and 75% suffered postoperative complications. Median age was 64.5 years, 59% were male. Concerning preoperative patient conditions 54% were on pressors, 47% had renal failure, and 36% suffered respiratory failure. When comparing TC and LI, there was no statistical difference regarding these conditions. Univariate pre-procedure predictors of mortality were age, lactate, timing of operation, vasopressor use, and acute renal failure. There was no statistical difference between the APACHE score of patients undergoing either procedure (TC=22 vs LI= 16). Adjusted mortality (controlled for pre-procedure confounders) was significantly lower in the LI group (17.2% vs. 39.7%, p=0.002). Conclusions This is the first multicenter study comparing TC with LI for the treatment of CDAD. In this study LI carried less mortality than TC. In patients without contraindications, LI should be considered for the surgical treatment of CDAD. Level of evidence prognostic retrospective multi-centric level III

Brief report.

Prognostic study, level II; therapeutic study, level II.