Double-barreled wet colostomy: urinary and fecal diversion

Double-barreled wet colostomy represents simultaneous urinary and fecal surgical diversion performed most commonly after pelvic exenteration as a palliative procedure or after actinic damage. We report the structural and functional results of double-barreled wet colostomy with special attention to surgical technique, morbidity and functional results compared to those described in the available literature.

We retrospectively followed 38 patients who underwent double-barreled wet colostomy at our institution from April 2003 to November 2007. The parameters were patient age and gender, the indication for double-barreled wet colostomy, postoperative morbidity and mortality, length of hospital stay and functional assessment by excreting excretory urography.

A total of 38 double-barreled wet colostomies were performed at our institution, including 24 following total pelvic exenteration, 14 without resection, 9 in inoperable tumor cases and 5 in actinic damage cases. The postoperative morbidity rate was 15.7% with no treatment related mortality. Two patients had late postoperative complications, including stenosis of the ureterocolonic anastomosis and conduit necrosis, respectively.

In our experience double-barreled wet colostomy has an acceptable morbidity and mortality rate, is performed without technical difficulties and does not require prolonged operative time. Double-barreled wet colostomy represents the procedure of choice in patients who require concurrent urinary and fecal diversion.