Types and Levels of Colostomy in Children with Anorectal Malformation

Objective: Divided colostomy for anorectal management is often recommended due to reports of higher complications associated with loop colostomy. This study was conducted to compare outcomes and complications in colostomies in children with anorectal malformations according to type and level of colostomy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed in children with anorectal malformations who underwent a colostomy at Siriraj Hospital between December 2003 and June 2018. Results: Out of 167 patients, 159 had a loop colostomy while 8 had a divided colostomy. Overall complication rates were 33.3% for loop colostomy and 62.5% for divided colostomy (p = 0.100). Urinary tract infection was the most frequently encountered complication in both loop and divided colostomies, at 23.7% and 50%, respectively (p = 0.094). The prolapse rate in the loop colostomy group was 8.8 % and 0% in the divided colostomy group (p = 0.376). Overall complication rates with respect to location of stoma also did not differ (p = 0.706). Prolapse rates were 15.8 % in transverse colostomy and 7.1 % in sigmoid colostomy (p = 0.231). Overall complications rates of colostomy closure in loop and divided colostomy was 7.5% and 12.5%, respectively (p = 0.672). Non-inferiority was demonstrated by the differences in overall complications of loop and divided colostomy (p = 0.008). Conclusion: There was no difference in incidence of complications between type or location of colostomy performed in children with anorectal malformations. Loop colostomy was non-inferior to divided colostomy in respect to overall complications.