title: Factors that predict conversion in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for Crohn's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To identify factors that would predict conversion in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for Crohn's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected retrospectively. All procedures were performed by an experienced laparoscopic surgeon.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-eight patients underwent 57 laparoscopic procedures. Twenty-six of these procedures were for recurrent disease. The conversion rate was 42.3% (11 of 26) for recurrent disease and 13% (4 of 31) for primary disease. On univariate analysis age (P = 0.02), surgery for recurrence (P = 0.02), time from diagnosis (P = 0.03), and the presence of a clinical mass (P = 0.03) were factors that predicted conversion. On multivariate analysis these factors except time from diagnosis still remained significant. Patients who did not undergo a conversion had significantly better post operative outcomes. There was no difference in the incidence of major or minor complications or the number of resections in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The conversion rate for the whole group was 28%. The rate is higher in patients who are over 40 years of age who are undergoing procedures for recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Bedford Hospital, Bedford, England, United Kingdom. kmoorthy@ic.ac.uk
authors.forename: Krishna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moorthy
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shaul
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Foley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies