title: The effect of diverticular disease on the colonic J pouch.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the diverticular disease (DD) on function and on postoperative complications of the colonic J-pouch (CJP) with pouch-anal anastomosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who underwent a CJP between December 1990 and August 2001, were retrospectively reviewed. The presence of DD in the CJP was assessed on pouchogram prior to ileostomy closure. A questionnaire designed to evaluate the degree of continence (total incontinence score (IS): 0 = worst, 20 = best) and pouch evacuation (total evacuation score (ES): 0 = worst, 28 = best) was used for comparison between patients with DD and those without DD (NDD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-six patients (47 males; 19 females) with a median age of 68 years (range 28-87 years) were included. The median follow-up period was 22 months (range 2-106 months). Twenty-four patients comprised the DD group and 42 were in the NDD group. The two groups were comparable for age, gender and time from ileostomy closure; all patients with postoperative chemoradiation therapy were in the NDD group. The total ES and IS total did not significantly differ between the two groups with a P-value of 0.11 and 0.09 respectively. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the total incidence of pouch complications between the two groups (3 strictures, 1 leak, 1 fistula in the NDD group vs. 1 pelvic sepsis in the DD group; P = 0.4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of DD in a CJP does not seem to impact pouch function or the postoperative complication rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, FL 33331, USA.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Börjesson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Colqhoun
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lobo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Khandwala
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Efron
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vernava
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Wexner
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gervaz
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Nogueras
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D039021:Colonic Pouches / Q000502:physiology*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D003672:Defecation; D004241:Diverticulum, Colon / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies