Closure of colostomy--a safe procedure?

A retrospective surgery of a series of 73 patients undergoing closure of colostomy has been carried out. Closure was complicated in 37.8 per cent of cases, and fecal fistulas occurred in 17.6 per cent. The overall mortality rate of the procedure was 2.7 per cent. The underlying disease (carcinoma or diverticulitis) did not influence the complication rate. Furthermore, intraperitoneal and ex-raperitoneal methods of closure appeared equally satisfactory. Closure of colostomy within a month of construction was associated with an unacceptably high incidence of fecal fistula of 33 per cent.