Dependent proximal loop colostomy: does it defunction the distal colon?

The operation of dependent proximal loop colostomy is described. This colostomy avoids the complications of prolapse and paracolostomy hernia and is easy to close. It appears clinically to totally defunction the distal colon; his ability was studied by means of a radioactive tracer. Ten patients were given chromium-51 by mouth and it was found that none of this spilled over into the distal loop. It is concluded that dependent proximal loop colostomies effectively defunction the distal colon.