LOOP ILEOSTOMY FOR TEMPORARY FECAL DIVERSION

The aim of this study was to prospectively assess the morbidity of cre ating and closing loop ileostomies in a consecutive series of patients having an ileoanal pouch procedure. Between 1983 and 1991, 203 patien ts had loop ileostomies created for temporary fecal diversion after an ileoanal pouch procedure. There was one death as a result of liver fa ilure. One patient developed a persistent pouch-vaginal fistula that r esulted in pouch excision. The remaining 201 patients had their ileost omies closed at a mean time of 10 weeks after the primary procedure. O nly 7% needed surgery to correct ileostomy-related problems. After ile ostomy closure, complications were noted in only 2% of patients. Loop ileostomy is easy to create and provides highly effective fecal divers ion, which decreases the incidence of and mitigates the serious sequel ae of pouch sepsis. Closure is simple, does not require a laparotomy, and is associated with few complications. Our experience with loop ile ostomy for temporary fecal diversion after an ileoanal pouch procedure has been favorable. The loop ileostomy may be the stoma of choice for most clinical situations in which temporary fecal diversion is indica ted.