Inflammatory bowel disease surgical management

Inflammatory bowel disease surgical management

Inflammatory bowel disease surgical management

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🔪 Pathophysiology - Why Surgery?

Surgery is indicated when medical therapy fails or when complications of chronic inflammation arise. The goal is to manage structural damage, control sepsis, or prevent malignancy.

Common Indications:

  • Failure of Medical Therapy: Disease refractory to biologics/immunomodulators.
  • Complications (Crohn's): 📌 F-SOAP
    • Fistula, Stricture/Obstruction, Abscess, Perforation.
  • Complications (UC):
    • Toxic megacolon (colonic diameter >6 cm)
    • Fulminant colitis unresponsive to therapy.
    • Uncontrolled hemorrhage.
    • Dysplasia or colorectal cancer (CRC).

Crohn’s disease stricture management algorithm

⭐ Surgery is curative for Ulcerative Colitis (total proctocolectomy), but only palliative for Crohn's Disease due to high recurrence rates.

🔪 Surgical Indications

UC: Total proctocolectomy is curative. Crohn's: Surgery is palliative for complications; recurrence is common, often at the anastomosis.

Emergent/Urgent:

  • Toxic megacolon (transverse colon >6 cm + toxicity)
  • Bowel perforation
  • Massive, uncontrolled hemorrhage
  • Fulminant colitis refractory to 72 hrs of IV steroids

Elective:

  • Medically refractory disease (steroid dependence, growth failure)
  • Dysplasia or carcinoma on surveillance colonoscopy
  • Crohn's-specific: Symptomatic strictures, non-healing fistulas, intra-abdominal abscesses

CT/MR/3D reconstruction of Crohn's disease stricture

🛠️ Management - The Surgeon's Toolkit

Crohn's Disease (CD): Bowel Conservation is Key

  • Strictureplasty: Widens fibrotic strictures (e.g., Heineke-Mikulicz) without resection, preserving bowel length.
  • Limited Resection: For complications like fistula, abscess, perforation, or obstruction. Remove only grossly affected bowel with clear margins.
  • Anastomosis: Side-to-side (e.g., Kono-S) may ↓ recurrence vs. end-to-end.

Ulcerative Colitis (UC): Resection is Curative

  • Total Proctocolectomy (TPC) with Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis (IPAA / J-Pouch):
    • Gold standard for elective cases (dysplasia, refractory disease).
    • Restores fecal continence. ⚠️ Risk of pouchitis.
  • TPC with End Ileostomy (Brooke Ileostomy): For patients not candidates for IPAA (poor sphincter function, distal rectal cancer).
  • Emergent Subtotal Colectomy: For toxic megacolon/perforation. Leaves rectal stump (Hartmann's pouch); IPAA can be done later (staged procedure).

Surgical Philosophy: Surgery for UC is curative (removes all diseased mucosa), while for CD it is palliative for complications, as disease often recurs proximal to the anastomosis.

3-Stage J-Pouch Surgery for Ulcerative Colitis

⚠️ Complications - Post-Op Perils

  • Anastomotic Leak:
    • Most feared early complication.
    • Presents with fever, tachycardia, peritonitis.
    • Dx: CT with oral/rectal contrast.
  • Small Bowel Obstruction (SBO):
    • Commonly due to adhesions.
  • Pouch-Specific (IPAA for UC):
    • Pouchitis: Most common long-term issue; inflammation of the ileal pouch.
    • Cuffitis: Inflammation of the rectal cuff remnant.
  • Crohn's Disease Specific:
    • High rate of disease recurrence at the anastomotic site.

⭐ Pouchitis after IPAA presents with ↑ stool frequency, urgency, and cramps. First-line treatment is antibiotics (Metronidazole or Ciprofloxacin).

⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Ulcerative Colitis (UC) surgery is curative; Crohn's Disease (CD) surgery is palliative for complications.
  • The standard procedure for UC is total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA).
  • Pouchitis is the most common long-term complication of an IPAA; treat with metronidazole/ciprofloxacin.
  • For CD, the goal is bowel preservation; strictureplasty is preferred over resection for fibrotic strictures.
  • Key indications for UC surgery: dysplasia/cancer, toxic megacolon, or medically refractory disease.

Practice Questions: Inflammatory bowel disease surgical management

Test your understanding with these related questions

A 22-year-old woman comes to the physician because of abdominal pain and diarrhea for 2 months. The pain is intermittent, colicky and localized to her right lower quadrant. She has anorexia and fears eating due to the pain. She has lost 4 kg (8.8 lb) during this time. She has no history of a serious illness and takes no medications. Her temperature is 37.8°C (100.0°F), blood pressure 125/65 mm Hg, pulse 75/min, and respirations 14/min. An abdominal examination shows mild tenderness of the right lower quadrant on deep palpation without guarding. Colonoscopy shows small aphthous-like ulcers in the right colon and terminal ileum. Biopsy from the terminal ileum shows noncaseating granulomas in all layers of the bowel wall. Which of the following is the most appropriate pharmacotherapy at this time?

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Flashcards: Inflammatory bowel disease surgical management

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The iliohypogastric nerve is commonly injured due to post abdominal surgery _____

TAP TO REVEAL ANSWER

The iliohypogastric nerve is commonly injured due to post abdominal surgery _____

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