Ileal Pouch Prolapse: Prevalence, Management, and Outcomes

The study aim is to review the prevalence, management, and outcomes for patients diagnosed with ileal pouch prolapse after restorative proctocolectomy.

Patients were identified retrospectively from a prospectively maintained pouch database. Parameters analyzed included presenting symptoms, indications for pouch surgery, type of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis, treatment modalities, and outcomes.

Of 3,176 patients who underwent ileal pouch surgery, 11 were diagnosed with pouch prolapse (0.3%). Seven had full-thickness prolapse and four mucosal prolapse. Six were male, and five were female. Indication for index surgery was ulcerative colitis (nine patients), familial adenomatous polyposis (one patient), and colonic inertia (one patient). Median age at pouch prolapse was 34 years. Median time from index surgery to prolapse diagnosis was 2 years. Two patients with mucosal prolapse responded to conservative management; two required mucosal excisions. An abdominal approach was successful in four out of seven patients with full thickness prolapse. The three failures subsequently underwent continent ileostomy formation and prompted us to add biological mesh to future pouchpexy repairs.

Pouch prolapse is rare, and there are no obvious predisposing factors. Mucosal prolapse may be treated by stool bulking or a local perineal procedure. Full thickness prolapse requires definitive surgery and is associated with risk of pouch loss.