Complications of emergency stoma formation.

Emergency stoma formation in the high-risk patient is a morbid procedure. In a series of 51 stomas in 49 nonelective operative procedures, a morbidity of more than 50% was retrospectively identified. Nine (18%) of 49 patients died, and four (8%) of these patients died of complications directly related to stomal failure or formation. The unplanned nature of the operation and technical difficulties during formation contribute to this overall result. Attention to detail during and after the operative event may help improve the complication rate associated with emergency intestinal stoma formation.