A review of early small bowel obstructions in staged IPAA procedures

Small bowel obstructions (SBOs) are a common complication following staged IPAA. Our goal was to compare early post-operative SBO outcomes between different staged ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) and to further analyze the type of procedures required in patients who needed operative management of SBO.

In this retrospective cohort study, we selected all patients who presented to our tertiary care center between 2008 and 2017, with ulcerative colitis or IBD-Unspecified colitis and who underwent a primary total proctocolectomy with IPAA for medically refractory disease or dysplasia (n = 623). Patients were divided into 4 groups based on staged IPAA received (1 stage vs 2 stage vs modified 2 stage vs 3 stage). Primary outcomes were compared between both groups using univariate analysis and included SBO within 6 months post-operatively of one of the IPAA stages or 18 months since the first surgery for patients who underwent 1 or 2 stage IPAAs, and need for readmission and reoperation. Risk factors for SBO, reoperation and readmission due to SBO were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression.

Stage 2 and 3 patients had the highest rates of SBO post-operatively. There was a significant difference in the rate of readmission between groups, with 2 and 3 stage groups having the highest rates (p < 0.05) but the rate of SBO and reoperations was not significantly different between groups. Of all patients with an SBO, 34% required operative intervention. Of these, 65% underwent diagnostic laparoscopy with lysis of adhesions and 27% required an open procedure.

Small bowel obstructions are a common complication of staged IPAA procedures. Patients who underwent 2 and 3 stage IPAA had the highest rates of SBO, although not statistically significant. A third of patients with an SBO required surgical intervention, with diagnostic laparoscopy and lysis of adhesions being the most common procedure.