Abstract Background More than half of patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) requires surgery in their lifetime. However, predictors of post-operative morbidity and mortality are poorly investigated. Our aim was to assess the predictors of post-operative mortality and morbidity in IBD. Methods retrospective cohort study enrolling all IBD subjects followed-up and operated at our tertiary IBD Centre from 2015 to 2018. For each patient, we evaluated patient-dependent (comorbidities, smoking, drugs, nutritional status), disease-dependent (disease duration, location, behaviour, extension), surgery-dependent variables (duration, emergency/election, laparoscopy/laparotomy, bowel/colic resection, length of intestinal resection). Results 158 subjects were operated during the period study (males 53.8%, Crohn’s disease 75.3%, mean age 41.9 + 16.2, disease duration 109.5 + 98.3 months); the majority (83%) underwent an elective surgery. No patient died. About morbidity, 40 (25.3%) developed post-operative complications: wound infection (8.9%), respiratory complications (6.9%), prolonged ileum (5.1%), anastomotic leak (3.2%), urinary infections (3.2%), abdominal abscess (3.2%), anastomotic bleeding (3.2%), other infections (2.5%), abdominal bleeding (1.9%), obstruction (1.3%). Two subjects (1.3%) required re-operation within 30 days. A surgery-duration <142 min was predictive for a better post-operative outcome (sensitivity 80%, specificity 42%, PPV 32%, NPV 85.9%). At binary logistic regression, stricturing/fistulizing behaviour (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.6–6.4, p = 0.02), need for total parenteral nutrition (OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.4–9.2, p = 0.01), pre-operative bowel cleansing (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4–0.8, p = 0.01), surgery duration <142 min (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.08–0.7, p = 0.03), were the only predictors for post-operative morbidities. A pre-operative BMI<24 was also predictive for anastomotic leak (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.8–8.6, p = 0.02); pre-operative hypoalbuminemia was predictive for urinary infections (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.8–7.9, p = 0.04); pre-operative infliximab was predictive for pneumonia (OR 3.8, 95% CI 2.2–6.3, p = 0.01); diabetes (OR 5.7, 95% CI 2.3–9.8, p < 0.01) and pre-operative steroids (OR 6.1, 95% CI 1.8–11.4, p < 0.01) were predictors of wound infection; need for TPN predicted prolonged ileum (OR 6.1, 95% CI 2.3–15.3, p = 0.03). Conclusion about a quarter of IBD patients undergoing surgery develops a post-operative complication, especially infective. Several patient-related, disease-related and surgery-related factors are predictive for post-operative morbidity. The recognition of these factors, as well the multidisciplinary approach (gastroenterologists, surgeons and nutritionists), and intensive preoperative management could be able to minimise these complications.
Read full abstract