The Relationship Between High-Output Stomas, Postoperative Ileus, and Readmission After Rectal Cancer Surgery With...

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between high-output stomas (HOSs), postoperative ileus (POI), and readmission after rectal cancer surgery with diverting ileostomy.

We included 302 patients with rectal cancer who underwent restorative resection with diverting ileostomy between January 2011 and December 2015. HOSs were defined as stomas with ≥ 2,000 mL/day output. We analyzed predictive factors for readmission of these patients.

Forty-eight patients (15.9%) had HOSs during the hospital stay, and 41 patients (13.6%) experienced POI. HOSs were strongly associated with POI (45.8% vs. 7.5%, P < 0.001). The all-cause readmission rate was 16.9%, with 19 (6.3%) and 20 (6.6%) experiencing ileus and acute kidney injury, respectively. HOSs (27.1% vs. 15.0%, P = 0.040) and POI (34.1% vs. 14.2%, P = 0.002) were associated with all-cause readmission, and POI was associated with readmission with ileus (17.1% vs. 4.6%, P = 0.007). POI was an independent risk factor for all-cause readmission (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.640; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.162 to 6.001; P = 0.020) and readmission with ileus (adjusted OR = 3.869; 95% CI 1.387 to 10.792; P = 0.010).

POI was associated with readmission, particularly for subsequent ileus, in patients with diverting ileostomy. We should make efforts to reduce POI, such as strong control of HOSs, to prevent readmission.