Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Newswise — Approximately 10% to 20% of patients with ulcerative colitis require surgery during their disease course. The preferred and most common surgery is the staged restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA). This procedure, commonly known as the J-pouch, can be performed in 1, 2, modified-2, or 3 stages. A clear consensus for the preferred staged method of IPAA construction has not been established. The primary goal of this study from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York was to compare the rates of postoperative anastomotic leaks and related complications among 1-, 2-, modified 2-, and 3-stage IPAA procedures to determine whether there is a preferred method of IPAA creation.