[Morbi-mortality related to ileostomy and colostomy closure]

The main goal of gastrointestinal stomas is to divert the faecal stream from technically difficult anastomoses or intestinal obstruction. Current tendency is to avoid definitive stomas, temporary loop stomas are commonly used to protect high risk anastomosis or sections of the distal bowel. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the morbi-mortality after loop stomas closure.

Retrolective, observational and comparative study was conducted. The files of patients submitted to loop ileostomy or colostomy closure from 1981 to 2001 were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed by the Fisher's exact test and the Mann-Whitney U test.

From a total of 107 procedures included, 73% were ileostomy closures and 27% colostomy closures. The mean age was 46 years (14-88). Protection of anastomoses was the most common indication in both stoma groups. The colostomy group had a larger interval days between stoma creation and closure than the ileostomy group (172.3 days vs. 125.6 days p = 0.008). Stoma closure was performed by hand sewn sutures in 81.3% patients and by stapled technique in 19.7% patients. The mean operative time for stoma closure was higher for colostomy group than for ileostomy (108.1 min vs. 88.3 min, p = 0.04). Colostomy group patients required a midline abdominal incisions more often than ileostomy group (21.4 vs. 2.5% p = 0.04). Morbidity rates were 7.6% for the ileostomy group and 10.3% for the colostomy group. Colostomy closure required a longer length of stay. There was no mortality.

The results of this study showed that stoma closure was a well tolerated procedure with low morbidity and no mortality rates. The result suggest that ileostomy closure is a simpler procedure.