Acute histologic inflammatory activity and postoperative outcomes in pediatric patients with ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine whether acute histologic inflammatory activity at the rectal margin predicts postoperative complications in children with ulcerative colitis following ileal pouch-anal anastomoses (IPAA).

METHODS: Patients who underwent IPAA following previous total abdominal colectomy for ulcerative colitis between 2006 and 2014 were included. Data collected included demographics, operative and postoperative data, histologic grading of the rectal margin at time of IPAA, and stooling outcomes at one, six and 12 months following ileostomy closure.

RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were included. Acute inflammation scores ranged between 2 and 13. Unadjusted and adjusted models showed no statistically significant relationship between inflammation and presence of any postoperative complications, number of daily stools, nighttime stooling, soiling, or stool-altering medication usage.

CONCLUSION: Acute histologic inflammatory activity at the rectal margin is not associated with increased rates of postoperative complications following IPAA creation in children, nor with poorer continence outcomes following ileostomy closure.