[Pseudocontinent perineal colostomy]

This prospective study was designed to evaluate functional results of a pseudocontinent perineal colostomy (PCPC) using Schmidt's technique.

Functional results in eight patients whose rectum were resected due to cancer or anal epidermoid carcinoma and reconstructed by PCPC between January 1995 and July 2002 in our institution were evaluated. Surgical technique and post-operative care were described. Morbidity, functional results and degree of patient satisfaction were reported. Median follow-up was 40 months (18-70 months) and was completed in 100% of patients.

There were no operative deaths. Four patients had post-operative complications, whose two patients had partial disunion of sutures, and two patients had urinary infection that was treated by adequate antibiotherapy. No conversion to a definitive abdominal colostomy was performed. On a functional level, one patient has normal continence, six had gas incontinence, and one has occasional minimal soiling. Seventy-five percent of patients were either highly satisfied with their continence.

PCPC is a reliable technique, which can be proposed as an alternative to a left iliac colostomy following amputation of the rectum due to cancer, provided that certain requirements are met: careful selection of patients, informed consent, flawless surgical technique and lifetime daily colic irrigation.