Risk Factors for Readmission after Ileostomy Creation: an NSQIP Database Study

Ileostomy creation is associated with excess readmissions following colorectal surgery. This study identifies risk factors for readmission in patients undergoing ileostomy creation and identifies areas of clinical intervention to reduce readmission.

We used the NSQIP dataset including colectomy specific data to include 39,380 patients who underwent ileostomy creation between 2012 and 2017. We conducted univariate and multivariable analysis to identify predictors of surgery-related 30-day readmissions. Our multivariate model included surgery type (total abdominal colectomy, partial colectomy, enterectomy, or pelvic dissection), gender, age, race, ethnicity, preoperative renal failure, dialysis, transfusion, ascites, ventilator dependence, diabetes, ASA class, functional status, emergency case, SSI, wound disruption, postoperative renal insufficiency, postoperative sepsis, discharge destination, and wound class.

A total of 5718 (14.52%) patients were readmitted within 30 days. After multivariate analysis, factors associated with readmission were gender, age, Hispanic ethnicity, dialysis, transfusion, ventilator dependence, diabetes, emergency case, SSI, postoperative renal insufficiency, postoperative sepsis, and discharge to a skilled facility. Patients who had enterectomy and partial colectomies were less likely to be readmitted than patients who had a pelvic procedure. Patients with postoperative renal insufficiency or renal failure were much more likely to be readmitted.

Factors associated with readmission included the type of procedure and postoperative complications such as SSI, sepsis, and renal failure. Efforts to reduce readmission should focus on patients undergoing concomitant pelvic procedures as well as avoidance and management of common complications in this group of patients.