Loop ileostomy: technical aspects and complications.

OBJECTIVE

To study the incidence of complications of construction and closure of loop ileostomies and the final outcome for the patients.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

University hospital, Norway.

SUBJECTS

100 patients with 103 loop ileostomies, operated on between 1980 and 1990.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Number of complications after ileostomy construction and closure.

RESULTS

7 required re-operation after construction of the loop ileostomy and 11 after its closure. The most common cause was small intestinal obstruction (4 after construction and 6 after closure). 2 developed stomal necrosis. The mean duration of hospital stay was 13 and 10 days for primary and secondary loop ileostomy, respectively, and the mean time before closure was 31 weeks. After closure another 6 developed leaks from the ileal anastomosis that required further operation. Patients with secondary loop ileostomies had their stomas significantly longer than those with primary loop ileostomies (21 compared with 43 weeks, p = 0.00005).

CONCLUSION

Despite the number of complications, we think that faecal diversion is still justified in complex pelvic surgery and we should try to reduce the complication rate further.