Restorative proctocolectomy in patients after previous intestinal or anal surgery

Restorative proctocolectomy is now established as the procedure of choice in many patients with ulcerative colitis or familial polyposis coli as well as in some patients with multiple colorectal tumors, ischemia, trauma, or congenital abnormalities. Some patients, however, may have had previous pelvic, abdominal, or perineal surgery, which might be considered a contraindication to restorative proctocolectomy. In a consecutive series of 73 private patients undergoing restorative proctocolectomy under one surgeon, we have reviewed in detail 13 who had had previous "significant" abdominal, pelvic, or anal surgery. Eight patients had previously had surgery for fistula-in-ano or fissure-in-ano, two had had an anal sphincter repair, and three had undergone possibly compromising abdominal or pelvic surgery prior to restorative proctocolectomy. Twelve of the 13 made an uncomplicated recovery from restorative proctocolectomy, although one has since died from carcinomatosis. One patient died after closure of an ileostomy from a combination of enterocutaneous fistula, infection, bleeding, and a perforated duodenal ulcer. One patient developed sepsis, necessitating removal of the pouch, and is classified as a failure. Two of the remaining 11 have had minor long-term functional problems with nocturnal fecal incontinence, and one patient needs to catheterize the pouch to evacuate, but all three patients prefer a pouch to an ileostomy. Restorative proctocolectomy can be performed successfully even after previous pelvic, abdominal, or anal surgery with an acceptable complication rate when compared with pouch surgery in the uncompromised patient.