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Safety of the temporary loop ileostomy
Author(s) -
Hallböök O.,
Matthiessen P.,
Leinsköld T.,
Nyström P.O.,
Sjödahl R.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
colorectal disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.029
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1463-1318
pISSN - 1462-8910
DOI - 10.1046/j.1463-1318.2002.00398.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ileostomy , surgery , anastomosis , stoma (medicine) , bowel obstruction , sepsis , abscess , general surgery
Objective To evaluate the complications of the temporary loop ileostomy. Method A retrospective study of 222 consecutive patients with low anterior resection, ileal pouch‐anal anastomosis or continent ileostomy and a diverting loop ileostomy routinely fashioned during the primary operation. The loop ileostomy was closed in 213 patients (96%) during the minimum follow‐up period of 15 months. Results Four patients (2%) required preterm closure of the ostomy due to stomal retraction ( n = 3) or bowel obstruction ( n = 1). Four patients were readmitted due to transient bowel obstruction that resolved without surgery. After closure of the loop ileostomy a total of 27 patients (13%) had complications. In 7 patients emergency re‐operation was done due to small bowel obstruction ( n = 5) or intra‐abdominal abscess ( n = 2). Elective re‐operation was done in 5 patients for hernia at the site of the previous stoma. Despite the use of a loop ileostomy there was 1 postoperative death after the initial operation in consequence of anastomotic leakage. There was 1 death in consequence of closure of the loop ileostomy after 3 weeks due to intra‐abdominal sepsis and heart failure. Conclusion In this series closure of the ostomy wasassociated with one death (0.5%) and overall ostomy‐related morbidity included the need to re‐operate in 6%.