The efficacy of colostomy as a bowel management alternative in selected spinal cord injury patients.

Although colostomy has been used to divert the fecal stream from pressure sore sites and to deal with fecal incontinence in patients with conus/cauda level injuries, its use on an elective basis to shorten and simplify the bowel routines of SCI patients to improve their quality of life has not normally been advocated. A questionnaire and two case histories were used to gather data relating to self-care and management of elimination in order to delineate criteria for consideration of elective colostomy. The study concludes that elective colostomy may be an appropriate alternative for some SCI patients, particularly those who have failed in self-care or for whom their vocation or avocation is impaired by prolonged bowel routines.