Background: The impact of infliximab on the postoperative course of patients with IBD is under debate.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of infliximab on perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic resection for IBD.
Design: This study is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected, institutional review board-approved database. SETTING, PATIENTS, INTERVENTIONS: Patients undergoing laparoscopic resection on preoperative infliximab (infliximab group) were compared with patients who did not receive infliximab (noninfliximab group).
Main outcome measures: The short-term and long-term morbidity and mortality rates were assessed.
Results: Elective laparoscopic resection for IBD was performed on 518 patients from January 2004 through June 2011; 142 patients were treated with infliximab preoperatively. Both groups had similar demographics, type and severity of IBD, comorbidities, and type of surgery. A significantly higher number of patients in the infliximab group had been on aggressive medical therapy to control symptoms of IBD during the month preceding surgery, including steroids (73.9 vs 58.8%, p = 0.002) and immunosuppressors (32.4 vs 20.5%, p = 0.006). Operative time and blood loss were similar (p = 0.50 and p = 0.34). Intraoperative complication rate was 2.1% in both groups. No significant differences were observed in terms of the conversion rate to laparotomy (6.3% vs 9.3%, p = 0.36), overall 30-day postoperative morbidity (p = 0.93), or mortality (p = 0.61). The rates of anastomotic leak (2.1% vs 1.3%, p = 0.81), infections (12% vs 11.2%, p = 0.92), and thrombotic complications (3.5% vs 5.6%, p = 0.46) were similar. Subgroup analyses confirmed similar rates of overall, infectious, and thrombotic complications regardless of whether patients had ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.
Limitations: This study is subject to the limitations of a retrospective design.
Conclusions: Infliximab is not associated with increased rates of postoperative complications after laparoscopic resection.