[Stoma prolapse and stoma retraction]

Prolapse and retraction of an intestinal stoma are postoperative complications which severely decrease the quality of life of patients and in some cases lead to an operative revision. Both entities should be treated with sophisticated care by specialized stoma therapists in the early phase in order to prevent secondary problems such as dermal ulceration. However, in case of additional problems, such as ileus, bleeding, incarceration or impossibility of adequate stoma care, an operative revision is indicated. It remains an individual decision whether a local or a transabdominal revision of the stoma is necessary.At present the level of information and the number of well designed studies dealing with prolapse or retraction of a stoma are unsatisfactory and there are merely studies which report on prolapse and retraction as an incidental finding rather than primarily focusing on these problems. In addition there is a lack of clear cut definitions for both entities which would allow a comparison of data obtained in different studies.There is clearly a demand for a structured scientific clarification as the occurrence of stomal retraction or prolapse may present psychological and medical problems for the patients and therefore needs to be treated, conservatively and/or operatively, by both stoma specialists and surgeons.