Safety of the temporary loop ileostomy

Abstract

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%.