Practice Parameters for the Surgical Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis Howard Ross, M.D
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PRACTICE PARAMETERS Practice Parameters for the Surgical Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis Howard Ross, M.D. • Scott R. Steele, M.D. • Mika Varma, M.D. • Sharon Dykes, M.D. Robert Cima, M.D. • W. Donald Buie, M.D. • Janice Rafferty, M.D. Prepared by the Standards Practice Task Force of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons he American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons the most common surgical indication for UC. Whether is dedicated to assuring high-quality patient care it is secondary to an inability to control symptoms, poor Tby advancing the science, prevention, and manage- quality of life, risks/side effects of chronic medical therapy ment of disorders and diseases of the colon, rectum, and (especially long-term corticosteroids), noncompliance, or anus. The Standards Committee is composed of Society growth failure, patients may opt for surgery in the elective members who are chosen because they have demonstrat- or semielective setting.3 Complete removal of all the poten- ed expertise in the specialty of colon and rectal surgery. tial disease-bearing tissue is theoretically curative in UC. This Committee was created to lead international efforts Operative options include an abdominal colectomy or total in defining quality care for conditions related to the co- proctocolectomy with either a permanent end ileostomy or lon, rectum, and anus. This is accompanied by develop- surgical construction of a “new” rectum through an IPAA ing Clinical Practice Guidelines based on the best available that restores GI continuity.4,5 All these procedures may evidence. These guidelines are inclusive, and not prescrip- be performed by using open or minimally invasive tech- tive. Their purpose is to provide information on which niques.6,7 Although various treatment options are available decisions can be made, rather than dictate a specific form for UC, this parameter will focus on the surgical manage- of treatment. These guidelines are intended for the use of ment for the patient with UC. all practitioners, health care workers, and patients who desire information about the management of the condi- tions addressed by the topics covered in these guidelines. METHODOLOGY It should be recognized that these guidelines should not These guidelines are built on the last set of the American be deemed inclusive of all proper methods of care or ex- Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Practice Parameters clusive of methods of care reasonably directed to obtain- for treatment of UC published in 2005.8 An organized ing the same results. The ultimate judgment regarding the search of Medline, PubMed, and the Cochrane Database of propriety of any specific procedure must be made by the Collected Reviews was performed through July 2013. Key- physician in light of all of the circumstances presented by word combinations included inflammatory bowel disease, the individual patient. ulcerative colitis, ileal pouch-anal anastomosis, ileostomy, proctocolectomy, colorectal neoplasm, surgery, colectomy, ileoproctostomy, immunomodulator, infliximab, steroids, STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM and related articles. Directed searches of the embedded ref- Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by a chronic inflam- erences from the primary articles also were accomplished. matory condition that affects the rectum and extends prox- The final grade of recommendation was performed using imally into the colon for varying distances. Although many the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Develop- patients are treated effectively by a wide variety of medica- ment, and Evaluation (GRADE) system (Table 1).9 tions, approximately 15% to 30% of patients will require or elect operative intervention. Surgical indications vary from INDICATIONS FOR SURGERY acute colitis to malignancy and often have a dramatic im- pact on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life.1,2 Failure Acute Colitis to respond to medical therapy (ie, intractability) remains 1. Patients with clinical evidence of actual or impending Dis Colon Rectum 2014; 57: 5–22 perforation should undergo urgent surgery. Grade of DOI: 10.1097/DCR.0000000000000030 Recommendation: Strong recommendation based on © The ASCRS 2013 moderate-quality evidence, 1B. DISEASES OF THE COLON & RECTUM VOLUME 57: 1 (2014) 5 6 ROSS ET AL: PRACTICE PARAMETERS FOR SURGICAL TREATMENT OF ULCERATIVE COLITIS TABLE 1. The GRADE system-grading recommendations Methodological quality of supporting Description Benefit vs risk and burdens evidence Implications 1A Strong recommendation, Benefits clearly outweigh RCTs without important limitations Strong recommendation, can high- risk and burdens or or overwhelming evidence from apply to most patients in quality evidence vice versa observational studies most circumstances without reservation 1B Strong recommendation, Benefits clearly outweigh RCTs with important limitations Strong recommendation, can moderate-quality risk and burdens or (inconsistent results, apply to most patients in evidence vice versa methodological flaws, indirect or most circumstances without imprecise) or exceptionally strong reservation evidence from observational studies 1C Strong recommendation, Benefits clearly outweigh Observational studies or case series Strong recommendation but may low- or very-low- risk and burdens or change when higher-quality quality evidence vice versa evidence becomes available 2A Weak recommendation, Benefits closely balanced RCTs without important limitations Weak recommendation, best high- with risks and burdens or overwhelming evidence from action may differ depending quality evidence observational studies on circumstances or patients’ or societal values 2B Weak recommendations, Benefits closely balanced RCTs with important limitations Weak recommendation, best moderate-quality with risks and burdens (inconsistent results, action may differ depending evidence methodological flaws, indirect or on circumstances or patients’ or imprecise) or exceptionally strong societal values evidence from observational studies 2C Weak recommendation, Uncertainty in the Observational studies or case series Very weak recommendations; low- or very-low- estimates of benefits, other alternatives may be quality evidence risks and burden; equally reasonable benefits, risk and burden may be closely balanced GRADE = Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation; RCT = randomized controlled trial. Adapted from Guyatt G, Gutermen D, Baumann MH, et al. Grading strength of recommendations and quality of evidence in clinical guidelines: report from an American College of Chest Physicians Task Force. Chest. 2006;129:174–181. Used with permission. The diagnosis of severe colitis is based on the criteria of tual perforation.17,19,20 Likewise, localized peritonitis may Truelove and Witts10 and is defined as colitis with more reflect local inflammation or may be a sign of impend- than 6 bloody stools per day, fever (temperature, >37.5°C), ing perforation.21 Perforation may also occur without di- tachycardia (heart rate, >90 beats per minute), anemia lation; these patients often do not exhibit classic signs of (hemoglobin, <75% of normal), and elevated sedimen- peritonitis.16 tation rate (>30 mm/h).11 Toxic or fulminant colitis is The development of multisystem organ failure characterized by more than 10 bloody stools per day, fe- (MSOF) is an ominous sign. In a series of 180 patients ver (>37.5°C), tachycardia (>90 beats per minute), ane- with toxic colitis, 11 (6%) developed MSOF. The overall mia requiring transfusion, elevated sedimentation rate mortality in the entire group was 6.7%; however, of the 12 (>30 mm), colonic dilation on radiography, and abdomi- patient deaths, 8 occurred in patients with MSOF.22 nal distention with tenderness.11 When the colonic disten- 2. For patients with moderate to severe colitis, early tion of the transverse colon exceeds 6 cm, the diagnosis surgical consultation should be obtained. Grade of becomes toxic megacolon.12,13 Surgery is required in 20% to Recommendation: Strong recommendation based on 30% of patients with toxic colitis, and typically consists of low-quality evidence, 1C. a subtotal colectomy with end ileostomy. 14,15 Perforation in patients with toxic colitis is associ- Although most physicians agree that an urgent surgical ated with a high mortality rate (27%–57%), regardless consultation should be obtained in patients with sepsis of whether the perforation is contained or free.16,17 The or fulminant/toxic colitis, there is no high-quality litera- mortality rate also increases as the time interval between ture depicting the appropriate timing for surgical consul- perforation and surgery increases.16,18 Signs of impending tation in patients with a lesser degree of disease. Recent perforation may be masked by ongoing medical therapy. consensus statements from surgical and gastroenterology Persistent or increasing colonic dilation, pneumatosis experts have suggested that a failure of primary therapy or coli, worsening local peritonitis, and the development of those patients being considered for monoclonal antibody multiple organ failure can be signs of impending or ac- or cyclosporine therapy warrant surgical consultation.23 It DISEASES OF THE COLON & RECTUM VOLUME 57: 1 (2014) 7 is important to keep in mind that, even in those patients poorly to medical therapy and are at increased risk for the who have a good initial response to medical therapy, the development of megacolon.47 Prolonged observation of eventual need for colectomy ranges from 20% to 80%.24–27 these patients