Restorative pouch surgery following proctocolectomy for inflammatory bowel disease: past experience and future direction

Major advancements in surgery for patients suffering proctocolitis from ulcerative colitis (UC) or selected patients with Crohn's disease (CD) have emerged in a relatively short time. Historically, patients underwent a proctocolectomy with end ileostomy, however, a restorative proctocolectomy with an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) was introduced in the late 1970s in the United Kingdom and gave patients the opportunity to avoid a permanent stoma. Initially designed as a hand-sewn "S" shaped pouch, with the invention of the linear stapler, a "J" shaped pouch was described in Japan, and subsequent advances in the United States largely contributed to the pelvic pouch's evolution to the standard of care in the management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The procedure was then divided into different stages depending on the medical condition of the patient and minimally invasive techniques (laparoscopic & robotic surgery) have continued to advance the success of the operation. Unfortunately, pouch complications occur, and seem to be occurring at an increasing frequency with the adoption of minimally invasive surgery. The field of reoperative pouch surgery has emerged to offer patients the opportunity to restore their quality of life (QOL) without the need for a permanent ostomy. Many patients with signs of pouch failure such as pouchitis, fistulae, pain and obstruction are diagnosed with Crohn's of the pouch, but many have mechanical complications that can be corrected with surgery, rather than offering pouch excision with a permanent ostomy (continent or traditional). Patients with Crohn's may be offered an IPAA but they will not have success if they, like patients with UC, have mechanical complications leading to their pouch failure. Patients who undergo reoperative pouch surgery do well with an acceptable QOL.