Long-term follow-up after resectional surgery in patients with Crohn's disease involving the colon.

BACKGROUND

The majority of patients with Crohn's disease will eventually have colonic involvement, and more than 50% of these patients undergo resectional colonic surgery. The extent of colonic resection is discussed controversially.

AIMS

We evaluated prognostic factors influencing the long-term outcome after resectional surgery including the colon.

METHODS

We analyzed the postoperative course in 170 patients (mean follow-up 7.4 years) after first colonic surgery. Lifetable and multivariate factor analysis were performed to assess the influence of various factors on the postoperative long-term outcome. 85% of the patients had concomitant ileal disease, 40% had rectal disease, 48% percent of the patients had extensive colonic disease at the time of primary surgery.

RESULTS

In 17% of the initial operations a colectomy was performed, the remaining 83% operations consisted in segmental colonic resections. The cumulative risks of clinical recurrence/reoperation were 63%/33% after ten years and increased by the presence of anal fistulas (relative risk 1.7/3.0) and after colocolonic type of anastomosis (relative risk 1.9/2.8). Ileal disease, rectal disease, extent of resection and pattern of colitis did not influence the recurrence rates. The risk to undergo completion colectomy was 11% ten years after segmental resection and not higher in the presence of extensive colonic disease. The risk of a definitive stoma was 11% after ten years and higher after ileorectal anastomosis (25% versus 8% after segmental resection: p < 0.003).

CONCLUSION

Colocolonic type of anastomosis and the presence of anal fistulas are risk factors for recurrence after initial colonic resection. Segmental resections were not followed by increased recurrence rates or a higher stoma rate. To maintain colonic length and intestinal continuity segmental colonic resection is the treatment of choice in patients undergoing surgery for local complications, even in the presence of extensive colonic disease.