DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjams.2025.v13i11.019

Pages: 1913-1917

Colostomy may be formed for bowel cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis and injuries to the bowel. Reversing temporal colostomy to reestablish intestinal continuity may result in morbidity and mortality. The objective isto study the management and outcome of colostomy reversal. This is a Prospective, descriptive and hospital-based study of colostomy reversal procedures from 2014-2015 at Khartoum, Sudan. Data collected from patients using a designed questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 20.0. Forty eight patients had colostomy reversal operations were included in the study. The primary operation were emergency in 41 (85.4%) and electives in seven (14.6%) of the patients. Males were 37 (77.1%) and females were 11 (22.9%). The mean age was 45±12.5 years; range (22-74 years). Diabetes mellitus as risk factor was seen in 22.9% of the patients. The common colostomies reversed were Hartmann procedure 54.2%and by transverse loop colostomy 20.8%. The common indications for colostomy construction were; recto-sigmoid cancer in 45.8% and nonviable sigmoid volvulus in 35.4%. The mean interval for reversal was 3.2 ±1.9 months (range 1-12 months). Hand sewing method for closure was used in 97.9% and stapled in 2.1%. Most of the patients were discharged uneventfully34 (70.8%), complications seen in 12 (25%) and two (4.2%) patients died. The common complications were surgical site infection in eight (16.7%), iatrogenic bowel injury in three (6.3%), anastomotic leak in three (6.3%) and seroma in four (8.3%). The mean duration of hospital stay was 7.8±3.2 days (range 2-16 days). In conclusion; the optimal timing of closure varies from patient to patient. All surgeons including surgeon’s under-training should be well versed with it. Delayed reversal seems more advantageous and safer as compared to early reversal procedures.