Assessment of complications following strictureplasty for small bowel Crohn's Disease

Surgical intervention is required in a significant proportion of patients with small bowel Crohn's disease (CD). Strictureplasty is an effective bowel-sparing alternative to resection. The aim of this study is to assess the primary complications of small bowel strictureplasty for CD (bleeding and leakage). Other postoperative complications encountered, postoperative duration of hospital stay, 30-day mortality, and the incidence of reoperative surgery are also discussed. A retrospective review of patients undergoing small bowel strictureplasty at The Royal Hospital between 1992 and 2007 was conducted. Twenty-seven patients underwent 34 laparotomies and 100 strictureplasties. There was no procedure-specific morbidity and mortality. Other common complications encountered were ileus (3/34) and surgical site infection (3/34). Most of the patients in this study have recurrent diffuse intestinal CD requiring synchronous bowel resection. Strictureplasty is a safe and effective bowel-sparing surgical option in this group of patients.