Surgery for inflammatory bowel disease in Spain: How are we doing? Initial results of a nationwide prospective registry.

INTRODUCTION

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), requires a multidisciplinary approach, and surgery is commonly needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the types of surgery performed in these patients in a nationwide study by hospital type, global postoperative complications, and quality of life after surgery.

METHODS

A prospective, multicenter, national observational study was designed to collect the results of surgical treatment of IBD in Spain. Demographic characteristics, medical-surgical treatments, postoperative complications and quality of life were recorded with a one-year follow-up. Data were validated and entered by a surgeon from each institution.

RESULTS

A total of 1134 patients (77 centers) were included: 888 CD, 229 UC, and 17 indeterminate colitis. 1169 surgeries were recorded: 882 abdominal and 287 perianal. Before surgery, 81.6% of the patients were evaluated by a multidisciplinary committee, and the mean preoperative waiting time for elective surgery was 2.09 ± 2 meses (P > .05). Overall morbidity after one year of follow-up was 16%, and the major complication rate was 36.4%. Significant differences were observed among centers in complex CD surgeries. Overall quality of life improved after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

There is heterogeneity in the surgical treatment of IBD among Spanish centers. Differences were observed in patients with highly complex surgeries. Overall quality of life improved with surgical treatment.