title: Stricture at the pouch-anal anastomosis after restorative proctocolectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine what factors may be responsible for the development of a stricture at the pouch-anal anastomosis after restorative proctocolectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive series of 115 patients was studied retrospectively a median of 34 months (range, 4-100 months) after operation or ileostomy closure. The procedure failed in 11 patients (9.6 percent) who subsequently had to have a permanent ileostomy. Another two patients were excluded from the analysis, one of whom was awaiting ileostomy closure, whereas the other had a stricture due to a desmoid tumor. Of the remaining 102 patients, 39 (38 percent) developed an ileoanal anastomotic stricture, which was severe and persistent in 16 percent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results were analyzed with the aid of multivariate logistic regression analysis. Factors which predisposed significantly to the development of an ileoanal anastomotic stricture were 1) use of the 25-mm (small) diameter stapling gun (P = 0.05), 3) use of a defunctioning ileostomy (P = 0.03), and 4) anastomotic dehiscence and pelvic sepsis (P = 0.03). The single patient whose operation failed because of a stricture had also developed pelvic sepsis associated with an anastomotic dehiscence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The eventual clinical, functional outcome after dilation of a stricture in the 39 patients who developed a stricture was as good as the outcome in the 63 patients who did not a develop stricture.
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Surgery, General Infirmary, Leeds, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuzu
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Sagar
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Holdsworth
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Johnston
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000601:surgery*; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D002648:Child; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000601:surgery; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007082:Ileum / Q000601:surgery*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D016737:Proctocolectomy, Restorative / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies