Evaluation of risk factors for complications after colostomy closure

The goal of the study is to describe postoperative complications observed after colostomy reversal and to define possible risk factor(s) for complication.s after colostomy closure PATIENTS-METHODS: Patients who underwent colostomy closure in Department of General Surgery, Dr Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Education and Research Hospital between January 2007 and January 2015 were enrolled. Patients with double-barrel ileo-colostomy, Devine's colostomy and tube cecostomy were excluded from study. Demographics, data regarding the first operation and those regarding the reversal operation were analyzed and compared.

Total 168 patients [118 (70.1%) male, average age=52.8±15.6] were included. Most common reasons for stoma formation were malignancy [n=63 (37.5%)] and diverticular perforation [40 (23.8%)]. Index operation was performed under emergency conditions in 142 (84.5%) patients. End colostomy was the most common stoma type in emergent cases and loop sigmoidostomy in elective cases. Postoperative complication was observed in 36 (21.4%) patients. Nine (5.3%) patients developed anastomotic leak. Of those, 8 (4.8%) was necessitated reoperation and 1 (0.6%) was treated conservatively. Postoperative mortality was 5 (2.9%). At multivariate analysis, DM was the independent risk factor for surgical site infection and evisceration (p<0.01). DM was present in 6 (66.7%) cases who had had an anastomotic leak and leak was more common compared to non-diabetics (p<0.05). Patients waiting more than 3 months before stoma reversal had experienced more anastomotic leak compared to those waiting less (p<0.05).

Closure of colostomy has a significant morbidity and mortality, and the physician should be more careful in postoperative follow-up in patients who had comorbidities, especially diabetes mellitus.

Anastomotic leak, Colostomy, Postoperative complication.