An unusual cause for small bowel obstruction as a complication of an ileostomy formation

Ileostomy formation is a fundamental component in the surgical management of many gastrointestinal diseases and like all intra-abdominal surgeries, small bowel obstruction is a recognized complication. In this paper we discuss a case of a 44-year-old female who previously had a loop ileostomy for slow bowel transit in the presence of spinal bifida. She presented for subsequent total colectomy because of ongoing pain due to chronic colonic dilation. At surgery, the stoma was not revised and the efferent loop was divided at the peritoneal level of the anterior abdominal wall. Six days postoperatively, the patient developed a small bowel obstruction as a result of the remnant efferent loop within the anterior abdominal wall, forming a cystic mass compressing the ileostomy, requiring surgical intervention. As far as we are aware, this is the first case of small bowel obstruction described due to this unusual etiology.