BACKGROUND/AIMS 

In this study, the various clinicoepidemiological characteristics and long-term follow-up of patients operated on for ulcerative colitis in Greece over a period of 15 years, are reviewed.

METHODOLOGY 

A total number of 69 out of 413 patients with ulcerative colitis (17.8%) seen and followed-up for a mean period of 12 years, had undergone ileorectal anastomosis (45.6%), total proctocolectomy with permanent ileostomy (35.6%), ileal-anal pouch anastomosis (17.6%) and Kock ileostomy (1.5%), mainly for bad response to conservative treatment (78.3%). Other causes for operation were large bowel cancer (8.7%), profound hemorrhage (4.3%), toxic megacolon (1.4%), and rectovaginal fistula (1.4%). Almost half of the operations (45%) were performed between the first and fourth year after the establishment of diagnosis.

RESULTS 

A number of statistically highly significant differences between the operated and non-operated group of patients were noticed.

So, patients operated on had more extensive disease in comparison with non-operated ones and were younger at the time of diagnosis.

The overall perioperative morbidity and mortality were 6% and 5% respectively.

Survival was not statistically significantly different between operated and non-operated patients and also did not differ significantly between men and women.

Most of the deaths in the operated and non-operated group of patients were unrelated to ulcerative colitis. (...)