[Direct ileum pouch-anal anastomosis in ulcerative colitis. Technique and complications]

Fourty-nine patients (21 female, 28 male) with ulcerative colitis underwent formation of an J-ileal pouch and construction of a direct stapled pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) without rectal cuff. 16 patients had previously undergone surgical interventions. Overall after IPAA 7 patients (14%) experienced 11 major complications. Gastrointestinal complications included hemorrhage in 1 patient, pelvic sepsis and ileus in 3 patients, respectively. Pancreatitis and urinary infection occurred in 2 patients, sexual dysfunction in 3 patients. After closure of the ileostomy 3 patients developed late pouch-vaginal or pouch-vesical fistulas, leading to excision of the pouch. During the long-term follow-up small bowel obstruction developed in 3 patients, pouchitis in another 6 patients. After 3 months 84% of our patients were continent during daytime, 67% during nighttime. 24 months postoperatively these data concerning continence increased to 92% and 83%, respectively. We conclude that direct IPAA is a reliable procedure achieving its purpose in 96%.