Pouch sinus may be a serious adverse event in patients undergoing ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. The aim of this study was to compare endoscopic sinusotomy (ESi) and redo pouch surgery in the management of pouch sinus.

All consecutive ulcerative colitis patients with chronic pouch sinuses treated with ESi versus redo surgery from 2006 to 2016 were identified. The primary outcomes were recurrence-free and surgery-free survivals. The secondary outcome was postprocedural adverse events.

This historical cohort study included 226 patients (ESi, n = 141; redo surgery, n = 85). Complete healing of the sinus was achieved in 75 patients (53.2%) and partial healing in 23 patients (16.3%) with ESi, and an initial complete healing (ie, no anastomotic leak before ileostomy closure) was obtained in 80 patients (94.1%) receiving redo surgery. Sinus recurrence after complete healing was seen in 17 patients (22.7%) treated with ESi and 28 patients (32.9%) treated with surgery (P = .15). Subsequent surgery was needed in 34 patients (24.1%) with ESi therapy and 18 patients (21.2%) with initial redo surgery (P = .70). Kaplan-Meier recurrence-free and surgery-free survivals after initial procedures showed no statistical difference between the 2 groups (P = .42 and P = .65, respectively). The rate of adverse events in the ESi group was significantly lower than that in the surgery group (2.5% vs 43.5%, P < .0001).

Recurrence-free and surgery-free survivals were comparable between patients treated with ESi and redo surgery, whereas pouch redo surgery was found to be associated with a higher immediate complete healing rate yet a higher morbidity.