Are cecal wrap and fixation necessary for antegrade colonic enema appendicostomy?

In antegrade colonic enema (ACE) appendicostomy, cecal fixation on the inside of the abdominal wall and cecal wrap around the base of the appendix are often performed as an antireflux procedure. Whether cecal fixation and wrap and fixation (FW) are necessary is not known. In a retrospective study, we compared laparoscopic and open procedure with FW (LACEfw+ and OACEfw+) with laparoscopic procedure without FW (LACEfw-).

Between 1997 and 2004, 44 consecutive patients underwent an ACE appendicostomy for fecal incontinence. Eleven patients (1997-2000) had OACEfw+, 14 patients (2001 to 2003) had LACEfw+, and nineteen (2003-2004) had LACEfw-. The primary disorders included meningomyelocele (n = 17), imperforate anus (n = 12), sacral agenesis (n = 1), presacral teratoma (n = 1), osteosarcoma (n = 1), diastematomyelia (n = 1), tuberose sclerosis (n = 1), Hirschsprung's disease (n = 2), Down syndrome-associated refractory constipation (n = 1), Jacobsen syndrome (n = 1), and chronic constipation (n = 1). Twenty-eight patients had undergone previous abdominal surgery. Operative time, theatre time, length of hospitalization, and complications related with procedure and stoma were compared among the 3 groups.

Age and age-adjusted body mass index did not differ statistically among the 3 groups. One LACEfw+ and 2 LACEfw- were converted. The median operative time was 38 minutes (range, 23-65 minutes) for OACEfw+, 78 minutes (50-135 minutes) for LACEfw+, and 40 minutes (25-120 minutes) for LACEfw- (P < .05). The median theatre time for OACEfw+ was 71 minutes (range, 50-107 minutes), for LACEfw+ 123 minutes (range, 70-173 minutes), and for LACEfw+ 75 minutes (57-160 minutes) (P < .05). The median length of hospitalization was 6 days (range, 3-8 days) for OACEfw+, 5 days (4-6 days) for LACEfw+, and 4 days (2-9 days) for LACEfw- (P < .05). Stomal revisions were required in 6 of 10 patients with open ACE, 7 of 14 patients with LACEfw+, and 2 of 19 patients with LACEfw-; stomal leak occurred in 3 of 11, 3 of 14, and 0 of 19 patients, respectively. Median follow-up time was 62 months (range, 36-94 months) for OACEfw+, 28 months (25-36 months) for LACEfw+, and 9 months (1-20 months) for LACEfw-.

Operative time for LACEfw+ was twice as long as that of LACEfw- and OACEfw+. Hospital time was shortest in LACEfw-. Stomal complications occurred in all 3 procedures. After a medium time follow-up, it appears that FW is unnecessary for ACE appendicostomy.