Preoperative infliximab treatment and postoperative complications after laparoscopic restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis: a case-matched study

Abstract

Background: Infliximab offers promising new therapeutic options for treatment of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. However, several studies suggest that it increases postoperative complication rates for patients who later require a restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA). This study aimed to assess the postoperative course of patients after laparoscopic IPAA, comparing those who had and those who had not received infliximab before surgery.

Methods: The authors identified patients from their institution's IPAA database, finding 13 patients who had received preoperative infliximab treatment. Using age, gender, and type of procedure (2 or 3 stages) as criteria, they matched these cases with infliximab-naive patients drawn from the same database. The differences in perioperative data between the two groups were analyzed. Complications and their severity were assessed using the Strasberg classification.

Results: No significant difference was found between patients treated with and those treated without infliximab for each variable studied, namely, mean operative time (353 vs. 355 min), complication rate (23 vs. 38%), and mean hospital stay (22 vs. 25 days).

Conclusion: The study findings showed no adverse impact from previous infliximab therapy on the laparoscopic IPAA postoperative course.