Use of trephine stoma in sigmoid volvulus

Sigmoid volvulus is a disease of the elderly who often have severe comorbid conditions that increase their operative risk and limit treatment options. Conservative treatment with decompression via sigmoidoscopy with rectal tube placement has high success and recurrence rates. Surgical resection with primary anastomosis is the treatment of choice when decompression fails or if the volvulus recurs. Unfortunately, perioperative complications are frequent. Moreover, many patients with sigmoid volvulus are bedridden or incontinent of stool and do not benefit from extensive resection and maintenance of bowel continuity.

Twelve debilitated patients with sigmoid volvulus determined preoperatively to be poor candidates for laparotomy and reanastomosis were treated with a trephine stoma. Initially, each patient had decompression via rigid sigmoidoscopy and rectal tube placement. Surgical intervention consisted of formation of a small hole (trephine) in the left lower quadrant. Through this hole, a sigmoid resection and end colostomy were performed. No midline laparotomy was required.

Operative times and analgesia requirements were significantly decreased (P = 0.05) compared with patients who underwent formal laparotomy. Length of hospital stay, complication rates, and length of bowel resected were similar using either surgical technique.

The trephine stoma procedure offers significantly shorter operative times, with decreased perioperative morbidity. For high operative risk or debilitated patients with sigmoid volvulus, resection with end colostomy using the trephine stoma technique is the procedure of choice.