Complications While Waiting for IBD Surgery-Short Report.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Oncology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Hospitals often prioritize oncological procedures, leading to extended surgical waiting times for benign conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
• This prioritization can negatively impact patient outcomes and strain healthcare resources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the consequences of prolonged surgical waiting times for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
• To compare IBD surgical waiting times with those for colorectal cancer surgery.
• To assess the correlation between IBD waiting times and disease complications or increased healthcare utilization.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective comparison of mean waiting times for elective IBD surgery versus colorectal cancer surgery (2013-2015) at Amsterdam UMC.
• Analysis of disease complications and additional healthcare consumption during the waiting period for IBD patients.

Main Results:

• Mean waiting times for IBD surgery were significantly longer (10 weeks for active disease, 15 weeks for inactive disease) than for colorectal cancer (5 weeks).
• 1 in 8 IBD patients required acute/semi-acute surgery while waiting.
• 19% of active IBD patients experienced disease complications, and 44% required additional healthcare during the waiting period.

Conclusions:

• Current surgical waiting times for IBD patients are excessive and not medically justifiable.
• These delays impose a significant burden on healthcare resources.
• There is a need for policy changes to establish maximum acceptable waiting times for IBD surgery.