Treatment of jejunoileal atresia by primary anastomosis or enterostomy: Double the operations, double the risk of complications.

Purpose: No study has evaluated complication rates of the combined operations needed for temporary Enterostomy compared to primary anastomosis in the treatment of Jejunoileal Atresia. Therefore the aim of this study is: 1) to compare the occurrence of severe postoperative complications (defined as Clavien-Dindo ≥III within 30 days) and 2) to compare the occurrence of different short- and long-term complications following treatment for Jejunoileal atresia either by primary anastomosis or the combined Enterostomy procedures.

Methods: All consecutive neonates treated for Jejunoileal Atresias between January 1998 and February 2021 at our tertiary academic centres were retrospectively included. Perioperative characteristics and severity of postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo) were extracted and evaluated, using chi-squared statistics, following each operation per treatment.

Results: Eighty patients were included of whom 48 (60%) received a primary anastomosis and 32 (40%) an Enterostomy. Perioperative baseline characteristics were comparable, apart from significantly more patients with a gastroschisis and significantly less patients with jejunum atresia in the Enterostomy group. Our results showed that 1) significantly (p ≤ 0.01) more CD ≥III occur following treatment by Enterostomy. 2) Both short-term (surgical site infection, wound dehiscence) and long-term (short bowel syndrome, adhesive bowel obstruction) complications occurred significantly more in those treated by Enterostomy. We showed no significant difference in anastomotic leakage/stenosis and mortality rates between both treatment strategies.

Conclusion: Although perioperative factors might necessitate an Enterostomy, we advise a low threshold for performing a primary anastomosis when in doubt, taking into account the double risk of major complications found in patients treated with a temporary Enterostomy.