Anorectal Crohn Research Articles

Postoperative results and complications of fecal diversion for anorectal Crohn’s disease

PurposeFecal diversion is a less-invasive technique that can alleviate symptoms in patients with refractory anorectal Crohn’s disease. However, complications, including recurrence of residual anorectal Crohn’s disease, may develop. We aimed to evaluate the postoperative results and complications associated with fecal diversion in patients with refractory anorectal Crohn’s disease.MethodsWe enrolled 1218 Crohn’s disease patients who underwent laparotomy at our institute. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features of 174 patients who underwent fecal diversion for refractory anorectal Crohn’s disease, complications of the diverted colorectum, and the incidence and risk factors for proctectomy after fecal diversion.ResultsAfter fecal diversion, 74% of patients showed improved symptoms. However, bowel continuity restoration was successful in four patients (2.2%), and anorectal Crohn’s disease recurred in all patients. Seventeen patients developed cancer with a poor prognosis. The rate of conversion to proctectomy after fecal diversion was 41.3%, and the risk factors included rectal involvement (p = 0.02), loop-type stoma (p < 0.01), and the absence of treatment with biologics after fecal diversion (p = 0.03).ConclusionFecal diversion for refractory anorectal Crohn’s disease can improve clinical symptoms. Patients with rectal involvement or loop-type stoma have a greater risk of requiring proctectomy following fecal diversion. The administration of biologic may decrease the rate of proctectomy.

The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Anorectal Abscess, Fistula-in-Ano, and Rectovaginal Fistula.

The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Anorectal Abscess, Fistula-in-Ano, and Rectovaginal Fistula.

Fecal diversion in complex anal fistulas: Is there a way to avoid it?

Temporary fecal diversion by a diverting colostomy or ileostomy is occasionally performed for serious complex fistulas. The main indications are highly complex and extensive cryptoglandular anal fistula, anal fistula associated with severe anorectal Crohn’s disease, recurrent rectovaginal fistula, radiation-induced fistula and anal fistula with associated necrotizing fasciitis. The purpose of stoma formation is to divert the fecal stream away from the anorectum and the perianal region so as to control the infective process and prevent trauma to the operated repaired tissues. Once the fistula has healed, the diverting stoma is closed. However, two questions are relevant. First, is it certain that the same disease would not relapse (or the fistula would not recur) once the colostomy is closed? Second, is there a non-surgical method which can obviate the need for a diverting colostomy? An attempt is made to answer both these questions in this review.

Colonic disease recurrence following proctectomy with end colostomy for anorectal Crohn’s disease

In patients with anorectal Crohn's disease, it remains uncertain whether a total proctocolectomy with end ileostomy or proctectomy with end colostomy should be recommended due to the unknown rate of disease recurrence in the remaining colon. A retrospective review of all patients with a known diagnosis of Crohn's disease who underwent a proctectomy with end colostomy for distal Crohn's disease between January 1, 2010 and January 1, 2019 at two IBD referral centres was conducted. Data collected included patient demographics, surgical variables at the time of proctectomy, and postoperative clinical, endoscopic and surgical recurrence rates. A total of 63 patients were included; mean age was 47years (SD 15years) and 32 (50.8%) were female. The majority of patients underwent a proctectomy with end colostomy (n=56; 88.9%) while the remaining seven patients (11.1%) underwent a proctectomy with end colostomy and concurrent ileocectomy. A total of 55 patients (87.3%) had proctitis, 51 (81%) had perianal fistulating disease, and 34 (54%) had anal canal stenosis or ulceration. Most patients had medically refractory disease (n=54; 85.7%) versus neoplasia (n=9; 14.3%). The median length of long-term follow-up was 17.7months (IQR: 4.72, 38.7months). During that time, 14 (22.2%) experienced clinical recurrence, 10 of 34 evaluated (29.4%) had endoscopic recurrence, and 3 (4.76%) required a completion total abdominal colectomy for recurrent medically refractory disease in the colon. Colonic recurrence remains low following proctectomy and descending colostomy suggesting this operative management strategy is reasonable in Crohn's patients with distal disease.

Prognosis of 17 Patients under 30 Years Old with Abdominoperineal Resection for Severe Anorectal Crohn Disease

Prognosis of 17 Patients under 30 Years Old with Abdominoperineal Resection for Severe Anorectal Crohn Disease

P687 Fate of the rectum in anorectal Crohn's disease

P687 Fate of the rectum in anorectal Crohn's disease

Surgical treatment of anorectal crohn disease.

Crohn disease involves the perineum and rectum in approximately one-third of patients. Symptoms can range from mild, including skin tags and hemorrhoids, to unremitting and severe, requiring a proctectomy in a small, but significant, portion. Fistula-in-ano and perineal sepsis are the most frequent manifestation seen on presentation. Careful diagnosis, including magnetic resonance imaging or endorectal ultrasound with examination under anesthesia and aggressive medical management, usually with a tumor necrosis factor-alpha, is critical to success. Several options for definitive surgical repair are discussed, including fistulotomy, fibrin glue, anal fistula plug, endorectal advancement flap, and ligation of intersphincteric fistula tract procedure. All suffer from decreased efficacy in patients with Crohn disease. In the presence of active proctitis or perineal disease, no surgical therapy other than drainage of abscesses and loose seton placement is recommended, as iatrogenic injury and poor wound healing are common in that scenario.

Intersphincteric proctectomy with end-colostomy for anorectal Crohn's disease results in early and severe proximal colonic recurrence

BackgroundPerianal Crohn's disease (CD) represents a more aggressive phenotype of inflammatory bowel disease and often coincides with proctocolitis. This study aims to assess the outcome of patients undergoing proctectomy with end-colostomy. MethodsA retrospective outcome analysis of 10 consecutive patients who underwent intersphincteric proctectomy with end-colostomy between February 2007 and May 2011 was performed. All patients suffered from refractory distal and perianal CD. The proximal colon was normal at endoscopy. All data were extracted from a prospectively maintained database. The main outcome parameter was disease recurrence and need for completion colectomy. ResultsSevere and early endoscopic recurrence in the proximal colon occurred in 9/10 patients at a median time interval of 9.5months (range: 1.9–23.6months). Despite protracted medical treatment, completion colectomy was necessary in 5 patients. One patient, who underwent a second segmental colectomy with a new end-colostomy, showed again endoscopic recurrence and is currently treated with anti-TNF agents. ConclusionsIntersphincteric proctectomy with colostomy seems to be an ineffective surgery for perianal CD with coexisting proctitis and results in a high risk of recurrence of the disease in the remaining colon. Therefore, despite a normal appearance of the proximal colon, a proctocolectomy with end-ileostomy seems to be the surgical approach of choice in these patients.

Fistulizing Anorectal Crohn Disease in a Child With Severe HLA‐B27–associated Enthesitis‐related Arthritis

Fistulizing Anorectal Crohn Disease in a Child With Severe HLA‐B27–associated Enthesitis‐related Arthritis

Efficacy of Topical Metronidazole (10 Percent) in the Treatment of Anorectal Crohn's Disease

Efficacy of Topical Metronidazole (10 Percent) in the Treatment of Anorectal Crohn's Disease

Anovaginal and rectovaginal fistula in patients with Crohn's disease.

Between 1971 and 1991, details of 67 women with perianal Crohn's disease were recorded prospectively using the Cardiff classification. Two groups were identified according to the presence (n = 29) or absence (n = 38) of anorectal Crohn's fistula involving the vagina. Patients in both groups were of a similar age and had had Crohn's disease for a similar period before diagnosis of perianal involvement. The incidence of associated perianal lesions, superficial ulcers, cavitating ulcers, other fistulas and strictures was not significantly different between the two groups. A greater proportion of patients with anorectal-vaginal fistulation (n = 15) had distal intestinal Crohn's disease (rectal or contiguous colorectal) compared with women with no vaginal fistulation (n = 14). A range of therapies was used to manage women with perianal Crohn's disease, from local surgery to a defunctioning stoma and/or proctectomy. Only 13 of 38 women with perianal Crohn's disease but no vaginal fistula required a defunctioning stoma or proctectomy, whereas 18 of 29 with anorectal-vaginal fistulation underwent these procedures (P < 0.05). A vaginal fistula has a considerable adverse effect on the outcome of perianal Crohn's disease.

Results of external sphincter repair in Crohn's disease.

The results of anal sphincter repair in a group of six patients with anorectal Crohn's disease are reported. All patients had previously undergone anal surgery which was followed by faecal incontinence in five. The sixth patient became incontinent following obstetric injury. Of the six patients, five are completely continent and one has a permanent stoma (follow-up from 18 months to 16 years, mean 7.8 years). Anal sphincter repair in this highly selected group of patients with Crohn's disease has not been complicated by wound breakdown or fistula formation, and has given good results.

Efficacy of Topical Metronidazole (10 Percent) in the Treatment of Anorectal Crohn's Disease

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of 10 percent topical metronidazole in the treatment of symptomatic anorectal Crohn's disease. Patients with symptomatic anorectal Crohn's disease were studied in a prospective, nonblinded, nonrandomized study to evaluate the efficacy of topical 10 percent metronidazole. Perianal Crohn's Disease Activity Index and each component (pain, discharge, induration, sexual dysfunction, and type of pathology) were recorded before treatment and at four weeks. Visual analog pain score (0-10) was recorded before treatment and at weekly intervals for up to four weeks. Fourteen patients were studied prospectively for four weeks. Mean Perianal Crohn's Disease Activity Index decreased from 8.8 +/- 0.9 before treatment to 4.1 +/- 0.7 after four weeks' treatment (P < 0.0001). Visual analog pain scores decreased from 5.4 +/- 0.7 before treatment to 2.4 +/- 0.5 at one week (P < 0.001) and to 1.0 +/- 0.4 after four weeks' treatment (P < 0.0001). Of the Perianal Crohn's Disease Activity Index components, significant decreases were noted in pain and discharge (P < 0.0001) and induration (P < 0.001). For patients with perianal Crohn's disease, topical 10 percent metronidazole decreases the Perianal Crohn's Disease Activity Index and anorectal pain.

Combined seton placement, infliximab infusion, and maintenance immunosuppressives improve healing rate in fistulizing anorectal Crohn's disease: a single center experience.

Infliximab (anti-TNF alpha) has been used for the treatment of fistulizing Crohn's disease with variable efficacy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of infliximab combined with selective seton drainage in the healing of fistulizing anorectal Crohn's disease. This was a retrospective chart review of all patients with fistulizing Crohn's disease treated with infliximab between March 2000 and February 2002. Twenty-nine patients (12 male; mean age, 31 years) received a mean of 3 (range, 1-5) doses of infliximab 5 mg/kg. Twenty-one patients had perianal fistulas; eight had rectovaginal fistulas, four with combined rectovaginal/perianal fistula. Fourteen of 21 patients (67 percent) with perianal fistula had a complete response (mean follow-up, 9 months), 4 of the 14 relapsed (mean, 6 months), but all had a complete response to retreatment (mean, 9 months). A partial response occurred in four patients (19 percent), defined by decreased drainage (2 patients) or infliximab dependence (2 patients) requiring repeated dosing every six to eight weeks. Three patients (14 percent) had no response. Seton drainage was used before infusion in 13 perianal patients for perianal infection and 17 were treated with maintenance azathioprine or methotrexate. Of eight patients with rectovaginal fistula, complete response occurred in one, partial response in five, and no response in two. Two partial responders became infliximab dependent. A complete response was observed in one patient with isolated rectovaginal fistula, a partial response in five. No patient with a combined rectovaginal/perianal fistula had a complete response. Five rectovaginal fistula patients were taking maintenance immunosuppressive agents and two had seton drainage before infusion. Selective seton placement combined with infliximab infusion and maintenance immunosuppressives resulted in complete healing in 67 percent of Crohn's patients with perianal fistula and partial healing in 19 percent. Relapse was successfully treated with repeat infusion. Concomitant rectovaginal fistula was a poor prognostic indicator for successful infliximab therapy.

Clinical Quiz

A 9-year-old boy, known to have Crohn disease, presented to the emergency room with a one-week history of increasing, colicky abdominal pain. He was diagnosed at four years of age with severe perianal and rectal disease. His disease was refractory to extensive medical management, and he required a diversion sigmoid colostomy and the establishment of a Hartmann pouch at seven years of age because of persistent anal stenosis and severe dyschezia. In addition to his abdominal pain, he reported the passage of flatus, but no stool, into his colostomy bag. His vital signs were stable; he was apyrexial and had a normal urine analysis. On examination, his abdomen was protuberant with a 15 by 12 cm mass in the hypogastric region extending down into the pelvis. The colostomy site in the left flank appeared healthy. Anal inspection revealed extensive scarring, and no anal orifice was readily identified. Imaging included an abdominal radiograph (Fig. 1), abdominal and pelvic sonography (Fig. 2), and retrograde colon study via his colostomy.FIG. 1. No Caption AvailableFIG. 2. No Caption AvailableWhat is the most likely diagnosis? A. Colostomy stenosis and obstruction B. Pelvic abscess C. Rectal mucocele D. Distended bladder due to outlet obstruction Answer: C. Rectal Mucocele The mucosal lining of a Hartmann's pouch secretes mucus, which must drain or it will accumulate over time. Inflammation, scarring and epithelialization of the anal canal obstructed the drainage in this case, causing a mucocele, which progressively enlarged. The abdominal radiograph indicated a soft-tissue mass arising from the pelvis, displacing bowel superiorly and to the right. Sonography demonstrated a markedly dilated hollow viscus arising from the deep pelvis and extending up to the left hypochondrium. There was no obvious connection to the stoma site. The mass was causing mild, left-sided hydronephrosis. Retrograde enema via the colostomy filled a normal caliber colon. The anus was probed open under general anesthesia and 1100 ml of mucus was evacuated. A Penrose drain was left across the anus to maintain patency. Comment: Mucoceles are commonly associated with the appendix and cranial sinuses. Rectal mucoceles are rare. The first reported pediatric case was an extraluminal pelvic mucocele in a patient with an imperforate anus following an endorectal pull-through operation with incomplete mucosal excision (1). There are case reports of rectal mucoceles following Hartmann's procedure for ulcerative colitis, and secondary to high anal sphincter tone following spinal trauma (2,3). Mucoceles have developed in defunctioned colon after pull-through surgery due to stenosis and retraction of the colonic stump (4,5). Scarring of the mucus fistula, or failure to creat a mucus fistula are other described contributing factors. In our patient, obstruction of the isolated distal colon was caused by severe, long-standing anorectal Crohn disease which caused scarring, stricture and epithelialization of the anal orifice. Treatment requires effective drainage or removal of the mucus-producing epithelium. This case illustrates a rare but interesting complication of Crohn disease.

Anorectal Crohn's Disease

Anorectal disease affects many patients with Crohn's disease. Clinical manifestations vary from asymptomatic skin tags to severe, debilitating perineal destruction and sepsis. Surgical management needs to be conservative and must focus on draining septic sites, preserving sphincter function, and palliating symptoms. Medical management has had some success in improving symptoms, but as yet, it has not been able to ameliorate most perianal complaints quickly and enduringly. Many new and exciting treatment modalities are being investigated with the hope that more effective approaches to these complex and difficult problems can be realized.

Management of Anorectal Crohn's Fistulas

The evaluation and management of anorectal fistulas in Crohn's disease remails a challenging delemma. An adequate evaluation delineates the extent of disease and guides therapy to alleviate symptoms while avoiding untoward side effects. Therapeutic options have evolved over the last few decades and vary from medical therapy to operative techniques. Medical therapy includes antibiotics and immunomodulators. Drainage setons or catheters offer long-term palliation without the risk of incontinence. Cautiously aggressive surgery, including fistulotomy and advancement flaps, allow significant symptomatic improvement. A protective temporary loop ileostomy may be a useful adjunct in some patients, especially in cases of redo flap surgery. If proctectomy is required, an intersphincteric dissection optimizes the chance for wound healing. An algorithm is presented to guide diagnosis and treatment.

LAPAROSCOPIC COLECTOMY IN DIVERTICULAR AND CROHN'S DISEASE

Laparoscopy is still controversial when applied for the attempted cure of colorectal cancer. Although some advantages may be possible, some disadvantages also have been postulated. Laparoscopic treatment of benign disease is far less controversial. Three of the best procedures and indications, respectively, are laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy for diverticulitis, laparoscopic-assisted ileocolic resection for terminal ileal Crohn's disease, and laparoscopic stoma creation for perianal Crohn's disease. Other potentially advantageous surgeries and indications include laparoscopic-assisted total abdominal colectomy for colonic Crohn's disease, laparoscopic total proctocolectomy for colonic and anorectal Crohn's disease, and laparoscopic secondary ileoproctostomy or coloproctostomy as Hartmann reversal procedures. Significant benefits can be expected with these procedures relative to decreased pain; ileus; length of hospital stay; disability, and, possibly, adhesion formation and subsequent bowel obstruction, and improved cosmesis.

Anorectal Crohn??s Disease

In some patients with Crohn's disease the anorectal complications are the major cause of symptoms and morbidity. Anorectal Crohn's disease may be present in patients with intestinal Crohn's disease, may be the initial manifestation of the disease, or rarely occurs without involvement of Crohn's disease elsewhere in the intestinal tract. The pathogenesis of these anorectal complications remains to be clarified. The anorectal examination is very important in the assessment of patients with suspected or documented inflammatory bowel disease. Meticulous physical examination, examination under anaesthesia and radiological imaging modalities may be utilised to specifically identify the location of abscesses and fistulae. Treatment strategy should be directed toward symptomatic relief; the most important symptom is pain. In most patients this pain will be attributable to an incompletely drained rectal abscess. Simple incision and drainage procedures are often all that is required as initial treatment of anorectal abscesses. Treatment of the anorectal fistulae that occur secondary to Crohn's disease requires combined medical and surgical therapy. Drug therapy is more often initiated for Crohn's disease that involves other areas of the gastrointestinal tract. The anorectal manifestations often respond to these same medications. Lay-open procedures (fistulotomies) are often all that is required surgically for simple (low) anorectal fistulae. High (complex) fistulae that involve large portions of the anorectal muscular ring are more difficult to treat. Patients with these fistulae must be treated on an individual basis, usually local surgical therapy combined with a medical regimen. Many surgical procedures are performed and many classes of medications are utilised on patients with these complex anorectal fistulae. Choosing the appropriate surgical and medical interventions is often quite difficult. Although sulfasalazine, mesalazine and corticosteroids have no lasting or maintenance value for fistulae, the immunosuppressive agents mercaptopurine, azathioprine and cyclosporin, the antibacterial metronidazole and the anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha monoclonal antibody infliximab have varying degrees of effect. The goal of the combined regimen is to cure the fistula, or at least make it minimally symptomatic, without altering the patient's continence.

New aspects of surgical therapy of recurrent Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease can neither be cured by surgery nor by medical therapy. Surgical therapy of recurrent Crohn's disease requires special precautions. The recurrence rate is 60% after 15 years. There are no certain data of the risk factors influencing the recurrence rate. The only clear facts are that wide resection out of the resection margins and smoking negatively influence recurrence. Hence, the major principles of therapy is a minimally-resected surgery. This mainly concerns strictures and stenosis. Strictures should be treated by stricturoplasty and stenosis by limited resection with Crohn-free resection margins. Just in case of interenteric and enterocutanous with a concomitant short bowel syndrome, in blind-ending fistulas with an abscess or in enterovesical fistulas, we recommend immediate operation. The therapy of recurrent anorectal Crohn's disease underlies the same rules as primary therapy. If necessary, proctectomy remains the last option. Also, emergency surgery in recurrent Crohn's disease follows the same rules as in elective surgery.