Retrospective Study
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World J Gastrointest Surg. Sep 27, 2014; 6(9): 169-174
Published online Sep 27, 2014. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v6.i9.169
Increased postoperative complications after protective ileostomy closure delay: An institutional study
Ines Rubio-Perez, Miguel Leon, Daniel Pastor, Joaquin Diaz Dominguez, Ramon Cantero
Ines Rubio-Perez, Miguel Leon, Daniel Pastor, Joaquin Diaz Dominguez, Ramon Cantero, General and Digestive Surgery Department, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain
Author contributions: Rubio-Perez I, Leon M, Diaz Dominguez J and Cantero R designed the study and performed the research; Pastor D contributed to retrieve and analyze data; Rubio-Perez I and Leon M wrote the paper; all authors critically reviewed and accepted the final version.
Correspondence to: Ines Rubio-Perez, MD, General and Digestive Surgery Department, La Paz University Hospital, Pso. Castellana 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain. dr.inesrubio@gmail.com
Telephone: +34-91-7277531 Fax: +34-91-2071064
Received: June 13, 2014
Revised: July 8, 2014
Accepted: August 27, 2014
Published online: September 27, 2014
Processing time: 108 Days and 5.6 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Protective ileostomies are widely used by surgeons for the protection of anastomoses, but they imply a second intervention for reversal. Despite being considered a minor intervention, ileostomy reversal does not lack complications. Adjuvant treatment, complications from the first intervention, or low-priority consideration can delay the closure of the stoma. In our study, we reviewed all complications following ileostomy reversal and found they were considerably high (40%), and increased as did the time (in months) until closure (P = 0.041). In multivariate analysis, male patients had more complications (P = 0.042), mainly wound infections (P = 0.007). Pseudomembranous colitis was also associated with the delay in ileostomy closure (P = 0.003).