Intraoperative reasons for abandoning ileal pouch-anal anastomosis procedures.

PURPOSE: Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) has become the operation of choice for most patients with chronic ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis. However, because of technical or disease factors at the time of pouch construction, IPAA must sometimes be abandoned. A retrospective review was conducted to find reasons for IPAA failure or abandonment.

METHODS

Since 1981, 103 patients have had to have an IPAA procedure at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, DC. All charts were reviewed and data retrospectively collected.

RESULTS

Six of 103 patients (six percent) were unable to have IPAA constructed. Five patients ultimately received a standard end ileostomy, and one had an ileorectal anastomosis. The reasons for abandoning the IPAA procedure were an ischemic pouch, failure to reach the anus, poorly controlled presacral hemorrhage, desmoid of the mesentery, and finding incurable colon carcinoma.

CONCLUSIONS

Information regarding the risk of failure or abandonment during the IPAA procedure should be discussed with the patient during preoperative counseling and must be included as an element of informed consent.