Laparoscopic surgical treatment of ileocecal Crohn's disease: Impact of obesity on short term results.

Introduction: The aim of our study was to analyse the short-term outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for a no medical responding ileocolic Cohn's disease in a single centre according to the presence of obesity.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed including all consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic resection for ileocecal Crohn's disease from November 2006 to November 2015. Patients were divided according to body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m in order to study influence of obesity in the short-term outcomes. The following variables were studied: characteristics of patients, surgical technique and postoperative results (complications, reintervention, readmission and mortality) during first 30 postoperative days.

Results: A total of 100 patients were included (42 males) with a mean age of 39.7±15.2 years (range 18-83). The overall complication rate was 20% and only 3 patients had an anastomotic leak. Seven patients needed reoperation in the first 30 days postop (7%). The median postoperative length of hospitalization was 5.0 days. Operative time was significantly longer in patients with obesity (130 vs. 165minutes, P=.007) but there were no significant differences among the postoperative results in patients with and without obesity.

Conclusions: This study confirmed that laparoscopic approach for ileocecal Cohn's disease is a safety and feasible technique in patients with obesity. In this last group of patients we only have to expect a longer operative time.