Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the preferred surgical treatment for patients undergoing colectomy to maintain intestinal continuity. Earlier studies have suggested that outcomes are worse in elderly patients who underwent IPAA. However, more recent reports have shown that IPAA outcomes in the elderly are comparable to younger patients. We review the recent medical literature regarding outcomes and treatments for common complications in elderly IPAA patients.

Compared to younger patients, IPAA in the elderly is not associated with increased major surgical complications, but is associated with increased length of stay and re-admission rate for dehydration in older patients. Rates of fecal incontinence after IPAA were similar between younger and older patients. Sacral nerve stimulation has shown early promise as a possible treatment for fecal incontinence after IPAA, but more research is needed. Pouchitis is a common complication, and antibiotics remain first-line treatment options. Other treatment options include mesalamines, steroids, immunomodulators, and biologics. The efficacy of newer biologics such as vedolizumab and ustekinumab has been reported, but more data is needed. IPAA is safe in the elderly with high self-reported patient satisfaction. However, the elderly IPAA patient warrants special consideration regarding outcomes and management.

There is limited knowledge on ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) function when performed on patients older than age 50 years. The aim of this study was to determine if surgery on those older than age 50 years impacts short-term complications or long-term function.

A retrospective review of all patients undergoing IPAA for chronic ulcerative colitis at a single tertiary referral center between 2002 and 2013 was conducted. Short-term postoperative complications and long-term function and quality of life were analyzed according to age at pouch formation (age >50 vs age ≤50 years).

A total of 911 patients who underwent IPAA (542 male) were included, with 178 patients (20%) age >50 years and 733 (80%) ≤50 years. Patients >50 years had higher American Society of Anesthesiology score (ASA) scores and increased rates of obesity and dysplasia or cancer at the time of colectomy, and were less often on steroids (all P < 0.01). Over a median follow-up of 5 years, older patients reported increased daytime incontinence (60% vs 37%, P < 0.01) and pad usage (34% vs 11%, P < 0.01) at up to 1.5 years post-IPAA, after which time the groups became similar. Other functional outcomes, including pouch failure and quality of life, were similar between the 2 groups across the follow-up periods.

Performing an IPAA on carefully selected patients older than age 50 years has minor, transient differences in pouch function compared with patients younger than age 50 years. Assuming appropriate patient selection, IPAA should continue to be offered to older patients without increased risk of compromised function or of pouch failure.

Restorative proctocolectomy in elderly inflammatory bowel disease [ IBD] patients is controversial and limited data are available on the outcomes of surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and long-term results of ileal-pouch-anal anastomosis in elderly patients, in a multicentre survey from European referral centres.

The International Pouch Database [IPD] combined 101 variables. Patients aged ≥ 65 years were matched on the basis of open versus laparoscopic surgery with a control group of consecutive younger unselected patients with a ratio of 1:2. Statistical analysis was performed using two-tailed t test, chi square and Fisher's exact tests, Kaplan-Meier function, and log-rank tests where appropriate.

In the IPD, 77 patients aged ≥ 65 years [Group A] and 154 control patients [Group B] were identified. Elderly patients had more comorbidities [p = 0.0001], longer disease duration [p = 0.001], less extensive disease [p = 0.006], more previous abdominal operations [p = 0.0006], surgery for cancer or dysplasia more frequently [p = 0.0001], fewer single-stage procedures [p = 0.03], more diversions after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis [IPAA] [p = 0.05], and a higher laparoscopic conversion rate [p = 0.04]. Postoperative complications and pouch failure were similar between the groups, but Group A had more Clavien-Dindo IV-V complications [p = 0.04], and longer length of stay [p = 0.007]. Laparoscopy was associated with a shorter duration of surgery [p = 0.0001], and length of stay [p = 0.0001], and the same complication rate as open surgery.

Restorative proctocolectomy can be performed in selected elderly patients, but there is a higher risk of postoperative complications and longer length of stay in this group. Laparoscopy is associated with shorter operating time and length of stay.

Ectopic thyroid tissue (ETT) is an uncommon entity that may be found anywhere along the line of the obliterated thyroglossal duct, usually from the tongue to the diaphragm. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing surgical treatment for thyroid disease between January 2000 and December 2013, seeking for ETT All patients with prior neck surgery or trauma were excluded. The clinic-pathologic features, prevalence and diagnosis of the lesions were collected and analyzed. Out of 3092 included patients, 28 ETT were identified (0.9%). The anatomical site of ETT was as follows: lateral cervical in 6 (21.4%), along the thyroglossal duct in 6 (21.4%), mediastinal in 5 (17.9%), lingual in 5 (17.9%), sublingual in 3 (10.7%), and submandibular in 3 (10.7%). Histopathology revealed 27 benign lesions and 1 (3.6%) papillary carcinoma. ETT is found in less than 1% of patients receiving thyroid surgery. Diagnosis of ETT requires clinical imaging. Surgery is a prudent choice due to the potential of malignant evolution of ETT.

Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is performed in ulcerative colitis or familial adenomatous polyposis with a view to restoration of GI continuity and prevention of permanent faecal diversion. Debate exists as to its safety in older patients. This review aims to assess functional outcomes and safety of restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) in older compared to younger patients.

Literature search was performed for age-stratified studies which assessed functional outcomes of IPAA. Twelve papers were included overall. Patients were categorized into 'older' and 'younger' groups. Analysis was split into three separate parts: 1. Age cut-off of 50 ± 5 years (with sensitivity analysis); 2. Age cut-off of 65 ± years; 3. Long-term outcomes (>10 years).

With an age cut-off of 50 years (4327 versus 513 patients), complication rates were comparable with the exception of an increased rate of small-bowel obstruction in the younger patients (p = 0.034). At 1 year, 24-h stool frequency was significantly higher in the older patient group (p < 0.0001). Daytime (p < 0.0001) and night-time (p < 0.0001) incontinence rates were also significantly higher in older patients. Overall, function deteriorated with time across all ages; however, after 10 years, there was no significant difference in incontinence rates between age groups. Dehydration and electrolyte loss was a significant problem in patients over 65 (p < 0.0001). Despite differences in postoperative function, quality of life was comparable between groups; however, only a few studies reported quality of life data.

IPAA is safe in older patients, although treating clinicians should bear in mind the increased risk of dehydration. Postoperative function is worse in older patients, but seems to level out with time and does not appear to significantly impact on overall quality of life and patient satisfaction. Assessment for suitability for RPC should not be based on chronological age in isolation. It is imperative that the correct support is given to older patients with worsened postoperative function in order to maintain patient satisfaction and adequate quality of life.

Increased knowledge in disease causes and progression, along with technological and technical advancements in their diagnosis and treatment, have led to increased expectations from physicians by patients and their relatives. The condition of "second victim" is known to affect caregivers that commit an error, and seriously impairs private life and subsequent practice. Besides, a condition has been described, the clinical-judicial syndrome, affecting caregivers at any moment during a medical litigation. In this scenario, physicians have started to practice "defensive medicine", aimed at protect themselves from liability rather than actually advancing care of patients. This paper represents the first review on defensive medicine with specific focus on surgery in an Italian setting. We reviewed the literature on the topic, with particular focus on surgeons and Italian current status, and provide the readers with a snapshot on these relevant issues, proposing strategies to prevent and reduce the practice of defensive medicine, and to support patients and physicians suffering from medical errors.

The majority of patients suffering from ulcerative colitis (UC) are managed successfully with medical treatment, but a relevant number of them will still need surgery at some point in their life. Medical treatments and surgical techniques have changed dramatically in recent years, and available guidelines from relevant societies are rapidly evolving, providing UC experts with updated and valid practical recommendations. However, some aspects of the management of UC patients are still debated, and the application of guidelines in clinical practice may be suboptimal. The Italian Society of Colorectal Surgery (SICCR) sponsored the think tank in order to identify critical aspects of the surgical management of UC in Italy. The present paper reports the results of a think tank of Italian colorectal surgeons concerning surgery for UC and was not developed as an alternative to authoritative guidelines currently available. Members of the SICCR voted on several items proposed by the writing committee, based on evidence from the literature. The results are presented, focusing on points to be implemented. UC management relies on evaluations that need to be individualized, but points of major disagreement reported in this paper should be considered in order to develop strategies to improve the quality of the evidence and the application of guidelines in a clinical setting.

Patients with indeterminate colitis (IC) are significantly younger at diagnosis with onset of symptoms before the age of 18 years with significant morbidity in the interim. The successful care of IC is based on microscopic visual predict precision of eventual ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's colitis (CC) which is not offered in 15%-30% of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients even after a combined state-of-the-art classification system of clinical, visual endoscopic, radiologic and histologic examination. These figures have not changed over the past 3 decades despite the introduction of newer diagnostic modalities. The patient outcomes after restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis may be painstaking if IC turns into CC. Our approach is aiming at developing a single sensitive and absolute accurate diagnostic test tool during the first clinic visit through endoscopic biopsy derived proteomic patterns. Matrix-assisted-laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MS) and/or imaging MS technologies permit a histology-directed cellular test of endoscopy biopsy which identifies phenotype specific proteins, as biomarker that would assist clinicians more accurately delineate IC as being either a UC or CC or a non-IBD condition. These novel studies are underway on larger cohorts and are highly innovative with significances in differentiating a UC from CC in patients with IC and could lend mechanistic insights into IBD pathogenesis.