Technical aspects and complications of end-ileostomies

During a period of 10 years (1980-1990) we constructed or reconstructed 358 end-ileostomies: 224 were primary constructions, 96 were reconstructed by laparotomy, and 38 were local reconstruction. Only 2 ileostomies were primarily located on the left side. The mean length was 5 cm. We had 11.6% reoperations after primary stomy and 7.3% and 7.9% reoperations after reconstruction by laparotomy and local approach, respectively. There were 12.9% and 8.7% reoperations after emergency and elective primary operations, respectively. Closing the lateral gutter or fixation of ileum to the rectus fascia did not influence significantly the number of reoperations. Postoperative discolored stomy did not indicate more dysfunction of the ileostomy. Stenosis of the ileostomy, peristomal fistulas, and peristomal dermatitis were seen in 23 (10.3%), 21 (9.4%), and 18 (8%) of the patients after primary ileostomies, respectively. Patients with Crohn's disease had significantly more of these problems than patients with ulcerative colitis. Only a few patients had retraction of the ileostomy (2.7%), stomal prolapse (1.8%), or parastomal herniation (1.8%). Women had significantly more parastomal herniation than men; otherwise there were no differences between the sexes.