Early local complications from intestinal stomas
R. K. Pearl, M. L. Prasad, C. P. Orsay, H. Abcarian, A. B. Tan and M. T. Melzl
A retrospective review of 610 consecutive patients with intestinal stomas
constructed at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, was carried out to analyze
early local complications with respect to stoma type and to compare
complication rates by surgical specialty. A total of 197 complications were
recognized in 158 patients for a corrected complication rate of 25.9%.
Peristomal skin irritation (42.1%) was the most frequently recognized early
complication in this study. Ileostomy was associated with the highest
morbidity (40%) of any type of stoma. Emergency stoma formation seems to be
associated with the highest complication rates, probably because of
suboptimal stoma placement. The morbidity of stoma formation seems to be
related to the amount of formal training in gastrointestinal tract surgery.
Technical guidelines for stoma construction are presented to help minimize
these complications.
