Restorative Proctocolectomy for Emergency Cases of Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

Restorative proctocolectomy was performed for urgent indications in three stages and for elective purposes in two stages for ulcerative colitis (UC). Since the three-step procedure makes enormous demands on the patients, there was an attempt to introduce a primary pouch anal anastomosis for urgent indications in selected cases. The aim of the study was to compare early complications in patients after having undergone Hartmann's procedure with those that had restorative proctocolectomy for urgent indications in UC, based on the authors' experience and the literature. Material and methods. The medical records of 211 patients who underwent an operation for UC in this clinic from 1996 through 2005 were retrospectively evaluated. There were 107 (51%) males and 104 (49%) females in this study; the mean age was 38 years. The median duration of disease was 3 years.Results. An operation was performed in 77 (36%) patients for urgent indications. Finally, the study was entered by 60 (28%) patients after exclusion of the high-risk patients. All the patients were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of 25 (42%) patients who underwent the Hartmann's procedure, whereas the second group comprised 35 (58%) patients who had the pouch operation. There was no postoperative mortality in the surveyed group. Respiratory failure occurred in 6 (24%) patients after Hartmann's operation and in 5 (14%) patients who underwent the pouch procedure. Intra-abdominal sepsis developed in 3 (12%) patients after colectomy and in 5 (14%) after pouch-anal anastomosis. Wound dehiscence was present in 2 (8%) patients undergoing Hartmann's operation and in 3 (9%) after the pouch procedure. Bowel obstruction occurred in 1 patient after the former operation and in 2 (6%) patients after the latter one. Wound infection was diagnosed in 5 (20%) patients after colectomy and in 7 (20%) after proctocolectomy. Differences between the investigated groups of patients were not statistically significant. Results. The three-stage procedure with Hartmann's colectomy is the treatment of choice for urgent indications in UC. Primary restorative proctocolectomy is performed for urgent indications in acute UC in selected group of patients without septic signs due to a similar morbidity as the group of patients who had Hartmann's procedure.