Prognostic factors for complications after loop ileostomy reversal

Defunctioning ileostomy creation and closure are both associated with morbidity. There is little data available about complications after ileostomy closure. The aim of this study was to evaluate morbidity related to loop ileostomy closure (LIC) and to determine if patients with postoperative complications in primary surgery suffer from more postoperative complications during stoma closure.

This was a retrospective study on prospectively registered consecutive patients undergoing elective LIC in a single centre in Spain between April 2010 and December 2017. Baseline characteristics, postoperative complications after primary surgery and after stoma closure were recorded. Primary surgery included any colorectal resection, elective or urgent associated with a diverting loop ileostomy either as a protective stoma or rescue procedure. A logistic regression model was used to assess the effects of baseline variables and postoperative complications after primary surgery on the existence of postoperative complications related to LIC.

Four hundred and twenty-eight patients (288 men, median age 64.5 years [IQR 55.1-72.3 years]) were included in the study, and 37.4%, developed complications after LIC. The most common was paralytic ileus. Only chronic kidney disease (OR 2.31; 95% CI 1.03-5.33, p = 0.043), existence of postoperative complications after primary surgery (OR 2.25; 95% CI 1.41-3.66, p =  < 0.001) and ileostomy closure later than 10 months after primary surgery (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.00-2.33, p = 0.049) were statistically significant in the multivariate analysis.

Patients with chronic kidney disease, those who had any complication after primary surgery and those who had LIC > 10 months after primary surgery have a significantly higher risk of developing postoperative complications.