Emergency subtotal colectomy for fulminant Clostridium difficile colitis--is a surgical solution considered for all patients?

INTRODUCTION

Clostridium difficile has been an increasing problem in UK hospitals. At the time of this study, there was a high incidence of C. difficile within our trust and a number of patients developed acute fulminant colitis requiring subtotal colectomy. We review a series of colectomies for C. difficile, examining the associated morbidity and mortality and the factors that predispose to acute fulminant colitis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective study of patients undergoing subtotal colectomy for C. difficile colitis in an NHS trust over 18 months. Case notes were reviewed for antibiotic use, duration of diarrhoea, treatment, blood results, preoperative imaging and surgical morbidity and mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 1398 patients tested positive for C. difficile in this period. Of these, 18 (1.29%) underwent colectomy. All were emergency admissions, 35% medical, 35% surgical, 24% neurosurgical and 6% orthopaedic. In the cohort, 29% were aged less than 65 years. Patients had a median of three antibiotics (range, 1-6), for a median of 10 days (range, 0-59 days). Median length of stay prior to C. difficile diagnosis was 13 days. Subtotal colectomy was performed a median of 4 days (range, 0-23 days) after diagnosis. Postoperative mortality was 53% (9 of 17). The median C-reactive protein level for those who died was 302 mg/l, in contrast to 214 mg/l in the survival group. Whilst 62% of all C. difficile cases were medical, the colectomy rate was only 0.7%. In the surgical specialties, the colectomy rates were 3.2% for general surgical, 1.2% for orthopaedic and 8% for neurosurgical patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Colectomy for C. difficile colitis has a high mortality but can be life-saving, even in extremely sick patients. Although heavy antibiotic use is a predisposing factor, this is not an obligatory prerequisite in the development of C. difficile. Neither is it a disease of the elderly, making it difficult to predict vulnerable patients. There are large differences in colectomy rates between specialties and we suggest there may be a place for a surgical opinion in all cases of severe C. difficile colitis.