Securing the loop--historic review of the methods used for creating a loop colostomy.

Loop transverse colostomy is a procedure that has been traditionally employed on a temporary basis for a number of indications, but, with improvement of intestinal suturing and stapling techniques, the applicability of this modality has become quite limited. This paper addresses the issue of securing the loop and traces the history of the development of this method to decompress the bowel, to divert the fecal stream, and to defunctionalize the distal colon.