Minimally Invasive Surgical Approach to Toxic Colitis

We aimed to compare outcomes of surgical treatments of toxic colitis (infectious/inflammatory/ischemic) by the extent of colectomy (partial vs total colectomy) and different surgical approaches (minimally invasive surgery (MIS) vs open).

Multivariate analysis using logistic regression was used to investigate outcomes of patients with toxic colitis who underwent emergent colectomy during 2012-2019 by surgical approach and the extent of resection using NSQIP database.

Overall, 2,104 adult patients underwent emergent colectomy for toxic colitis within NSQIP database during 2012-2019. Overall, 1,578 (75.4%) underwent total colectomy with colostomy, 486 (23.2%) underwent partial colectomy with colostomy, and 28 (1.3%) underwent partial colectomy with anastomosis. Overall, 198 (9.4%) of procedures were minimally invasive (MIS) with a 40.1% conversion rate to open. Thirty days mortality and morbidity of the patients were 31 and 86%, respectively. There was no significant difference in mortality of partial colectomy without anastomosis compared to total colectomy (P = .86) and partial colectomy with anastomosis (P = .64). Anastomosis was associated with 32.3% anastomosis leakage and 17.9% reoperation. MIS approach was associated with significant decrease in mortality (8.6 vs 33.3%, AOR: .35, P < .01) and morbidity (62.9 vs 87.8%, AOR: .49, P < .01) of patients.

Patients with toxic colitis undergoing surgical treatment have high mortality and morbidity. An MIS approach when possible is significantly associated with decreased morbidity and mortality of patients. There was no significant difference in outcomes seen when extending the resection in multivariate analysis. Anastomosis is associated with a high anastomosis leakage and need for reoperation risk.