The Double-Barreled Wet Colostomy: Long-term Experience with the First 11 Patients

Abstract

We describe our experience with a technique for simultaneous urinary and fecal diversion using a single abdominal stoma. The procedure requires the construction of a diverting loop colostomy with division of the colon approximately 15 cm. distal to the stoma. This distal segment of colon acts as a urinary conduit, and allows internal separation of the urine and fecal streams. The procedure has been used in patients without a prior stoma as well as those with existing loop and end colostomies. Unlike the watery diarrhea associated with the wet colostomy described previously, these patients experience a continuous urine output and intermittent semiformed bowel movements. Complications have been minimal: there have been no episodes of clinical pyelonephritis, no new electrolyte problems and no significant stomal complications. In 1 patient late radiographic evidence of hydronephrosis developed associated with advancing metastatic disease, while in another late bilateral ureterocolonic strictures developed. The majority of patients died of the underlying cancer but 1 died of a myocardial infarction 2 weeks postoperatively. This procedure has now been performed in 11 patients with followup from 0.5 to 80 months. The results are gratifying for a group of highly complex cases.