Proctectomy was a high-risk factor for surgical site infection in patients with Crohn's disease. The administration of preoperative infliximab was not a risk factor for surgical site infection.

Background/Aims: Although negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is likely advantageous for wound healing, the efficacy and safety of its prophylactic use remain unclear for digestive surgery. We performed a prospective randomized controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this procedure during ileostomy closure. Methods: We conducted a prospective, randomized study between November 2014 and September 2015. Patients with ulcerative colitis scheduled to undergo ileostomy closure with purse-string suture (PSS) were randomly divided into groups with or without NPWT. The primary endpoint was complete wound healing. The secondary endpoints were incidences of wound complications. Results: A total of 31 patients with PSS alone and 28 patients with PSS + NPWT were enrolled. Wound infection was observed in 1 patient in the PSS-alone condition and 3 patients in the PSS + NPWT condition (p = 0.76). The mean duration of complete wound healing was 37.6 ± 11.7 days in the PSS-alone condition and 33.5 ± 10.0 days in the PSS + NPWT condition (p = 0.18). Conclusion: Although no adverse effects were observed in this series, the efficacy of PSS + NPWT was not confirmed. Further clarification of the indication of prophylactic NPWT and its efficacy must be obtained, and the efficacy and safety of NPWT in different dirty/infected surgeries should be evaluated.

A restorative proctocolectomy with an IPAA is a safe procedure, with low rates of mortality and major morbidity. We do not recommend routine application of IPAA in any subset of patients with known CD.

PurposeSince 2000, the incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) in patients over 60 years old has been rapidly increasing. We reviewed our surgical experience of elderly patients with UC treated at our hospital.MethodsPatients aged 60 years or older at the time of surgery were defined as “elderly”. The medical records of all elderly patients who underwent surgery for UC during a 26-year period were retrospectively analyzed.ResultsThe prognosis of elderly patients who underwent emergency surgery was extremely poor: 8 (26.7 %) of 30 such patients died within 30 postoperative days (PODs), whereas only 1 (0.88 %) of 114 who underwent elective surgery died within 30 PODs. Respiratory tract infection and sepsis resulting from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or mycotic infection were the most common causes of death after emergency surgery.ConclusionThe prognosis of elderly UC patients undergoing emergency surgery is very poor; thus, physicians and surgeons should collaborate to treat severe and fulminant disease, to optimize the timing of surgery. Early decisions about emergency surgery for UC will reduce postoperative mortality, especially in elderly patients.

Combined oral and intravenous antimicrobial prophylaxis in patients with Crohn disease contributed to the prevention of SSI.