Extended versus limited mesenteric excision for operative Crohn's disease: 30-Day outcomes from the ACS-NSQIP...

Recent studies have suggested that extended mesenteric excision (ME) may reduce surgical reintervention in Crohn's Disease (CD), but there remains clinical concerns regarding potential peri-operative morbidity. This retrospective study compares 30-day perioperative morbidity between limited and extended ME in segmental colectomies for CD.

Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement (ACS-NSQIP) colectomy-specific database, all patients with CD undergoing segmental colectomy for non-malignant indications between 2014-2019 were included. A lymph node harvest of 12 or more nodes was used as a surrogate for extended ME. The primary outcome was NSQIP major morbidity. Secondary outcomes included abdominal complications and perioperative bleeding.

Of 3,709 patients included from the ACS-NSQIP database, 3,087 underwent limited ME and 622 underwent extended ME. On univariate analysis, those with limited mesenteric excision were less likely to be anemic (46.1% vs 55.0%, p < 0.001) and have undergone an open surgery (44.7% vs 34.7%, p < 0.001). On univariate comparison of limited and extended ME, there was no significant difference in major morbidity. On multiple logistic regression, controlling for age, sex, BMI, smoking, preoperative sepsis, preoperative anemia, surgical approach, emergency surgery, stoma creation, bowel preparation, and immunosuppression, the extent of ME was not an independent predictor of NSQIP major morbidity (OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.84-1.44). Likewise, the extent of ME was not associated with an increase in abdominal complications (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.76-1.19) or post-operative bleeding (OR 1.89, 95% CI 0.75-1.53).

Extended ME for CD was not associated with an increase in 30-day perioperative major morbidity.