Outcomes of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis without primary diverting loop ileostomy if postoperative sepsis develops.

Background: The aim of the present study was to assess the short-term and long-term consequences of diverting loop ileostomy (DLI) omission in ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) surgery complicated by postoperative pelvic sepsis.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database. Of 4031 patients who underwent IPAA in 1983-2014, 357 developed IPAA-related pelvic sepsis with or without anastomotic dehiscence. Patients with Crohn's disease or cancer were excluded. The patient cohort was divided into two groups, depending on the presence or absence of DLI. Patient characteristics, short-term and long-term outcomes were compared. Long-term pouch survival was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Quality of life (QOL) in the groups was compared at the latest follow-up.

Results: Three hundred and twenty-six patients developing pelvic sepsis had diversion at the time of IPAA (D group) and in 31 who developed pelvic sepsis DLI had been omitted (O group). The length of hospital stay was significantly longer in the O group 11.5 (3-33) days versus 8 (2-59) days in the D group (p = 0.006). Forty-eight percent of patients from the O group with anastomotic leak underwent reoperation and had a DLI formed at this second procedure versus 12% in the D group requiring reoperation (p < 0.0001). In long-term follow-up, there was no difference in pouch survival between the groups: 99 versus 97% after 5 years and 88 versus 87% after 10 years, in the O group and D group, respectively (p = 0.40). There was no difference in QOL observed between the groups.

Conclusions: Omission of DLI in selected patients who had IPAA surgery did not increase pouch failure or adversely affect QOL in the long term, if pelvic sepsis occurred.