OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of covering colostomy for patients undergoing low anterior resection for rectal neoplasms. DESIGN: Prospective randomised study. SETTING:Two university hospitals, Finland. SUBJECTS:38 patients with air-tight stapled end-to-end anastomoses and complete anastomotic tissue rings were randomly allocated to have a covering colostomy (n = 19) or not. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Postoperative mortality, anastomotic leaks, reoperations for leaks. RESULTS: The clinical leak rate was 24% (9/38) and six patients (16%) had radiological leaks. The total number of leaks (clinical and radiological together) was similar in the two groups, 7/19 compared with 8/19, respectively. There were fewer clinical leaks in the colostomy group (3/19; 16% compared with 6/19; 32%), but the difference was not significant. Reoperations for leaks were necessary more often in patients who did not have a covering colostomy (6/19; 32% compared with 1/19; 5%, p = 0.09). Two patients who did not have a stoma died from the infective complications of their leaks and one died of heart failure in the colostomy group. One patient who had not been given a stoma initially was left with a permanent colostomy after a leak. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that a covering colostomy does not reduce the leak rate after low anterior resection, but prevents most of the severe infective consequences of the leaks.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of covering colostomy for patients undergoing low anterior resection for rectal neoplasms. DESIGN: Prospective randomised study. SETTING: Two university hospitals, Finland. SUBJECTS: 38 patients with air-tight stapled end-to-end anastomoses and complete anastomotic tissue rings were randomly allocated to have a covering colostomy (n = 19) or not. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Postoperative mortality, anastomotic leaks, reoperations for leaks. RESULTS: The clinical leak rate was 24% (9/38) and six patients (16%) had radiological leaks. The total number of leaks (clinical and radiological together) was similar in the two groups, 7/19 compared with 8/19, respectively. There were fewer clinical leaks in the colostomy group (3/19; 16% compared with 6/19; 32%), but the difference was not significant. Reoperations for leaks were necessary more often in patients who did not have a covering colostomy (6/19; 32% compared with 1/19; 5%, p = 0.09). Two patients who did not have a stoma died from the infective complications of their leaks and one died of heart failure in the colostomy group. One patient who had not been given a stoma initially was left with a permanent colostomy after a leak. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that a covering colostomy does not reduce the leak rate after low anterior resection, but prevents most of the severe infective consequences of the leaks.
Authors: Danielle M Bertoni; Kerry L Hammond; David E Beck; Terry C Hicks; Charles B Whitlow; H David Vargas; David A Margolin Journal: Ochsner J Date: 2017
Authors: B Lefebure; J J Tuech; V Bridoux; B Costaglioli; M Scotte; P Teniere; F Michot Journal: Int J Colorectal Dis Date: 2007-09-02 Impact factor: 2.571