Outcome and functional prognosis of pelvic sepsis after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis in patients with ulcerative colitis.

PURPOSE: Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is a surgical procedure for ulcerative colitis, but pouch failure or pelvic sepsis still occurs in some patients. We conducted this study to investigate the cause of pouch failure and evaluate defecatory function after pelvic sepsis.

METHODS: A total of 234 patients who underwent restorative proctocolectomy were enrolled. We analyzed the cause of pouch failure, as well as defecatory function and manometric outcomes, with and without the complication of pelvic sepsis.

RESULTS: Pelvic sepsis developed in 29 (12.3%) of the 234 patients who underwent restorative proctocolectomy (pelvic sepsis group). The pelvic sepsis led to pouch failure in two of these patients (as a vaginal fistula in one and ileo-anal anastomotic leakage in one). Of the remaining majority of patients who did not suffer pelvic sepsis (control group), nine suffered pouch failure (as vaginal fistula in four, perianal abscess in two, pouch-spinal marrow fistula in one, and chronic pouchitis in two). There were no significant differences in defecatory function or manometric outcomes between the two groups. In the pelvic sepsis group, stool frequency was significantly correlated with white blood cell count (P = 0.01) and the duration until onset of pelvic sepsis (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Pelvic sepsis after restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis does not affect defecatory and manometric function, but control of the inflammation caused by pelvic sepsis is integral for defecatory function.