Surgery for constipation in patients with prior spinal cord injury: the Department of Veterans Affairs experience.

Objective: Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) typically have difficulty with constipation. Some undergo surgery for bowel management. We predicted that SCI patients would have higher mortality and/or morbidity rates following such surgery than neurally intact patients receiving the same procedures. We sought to evaluate this using a large population-based data set.

Methods: Patients receiving care at Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (DVAMCs) with computer codes for SCI and constipation who later underwent colectomy, colostomy, or ileostomy during fiscal years 1993-2002 were identified. Charts were requested from the VAMCs where the surgery had been performed and a retrospective chart review of these charts was done. We collected data on patient demographics, six specific pre-operative co-morbidities, surgical complications, and post-operative mortality. Comparisons were made to current literature evaluating a population receiving total abdominal colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis for constipation but not selected for SCI.

Results: Of 299 patients identified by computer search, 43 (14%) had codes for SCI and 10 of 43 (24%) met our inclusion criteria. All were symptomatic and had received appropriate medical management. Co-morbid conditions were present in 9 of 10 patients (90%). There were no deaths within 30 days. The complication rate was zero. The mean post-operative length of stay was 17 days.

Conclusions: Patients with SCI comprise about 14% of the population who receive surgery for severe constipation in the Department of Veterans Affairs system. The mortality and morbidity rates in these patients are similar to those reported in other constipated patients who have surgery for intractable constipation. Our data suggest that stoma formation ± bowel resection in patients with SCI is a safe and effective treatment for chronic constipation.