title: Is tube cecostomy safe in the surgery of Hirschsprung's disease?
abstract: The use of concomitant tube cecostomy remains an option for decompression after distal large-bowel surgery but has been criticised because of a reported high complication rate. Two hundred and three patients who underwent a Soave endorectal pull-through procedure for Hirschsprung's disease (1974-1990) were evaluated. Operative technique included a modified sutured Soave endorectal pull-through procedure and a Stamm tube cecostomy utilising a large-lumen catheter. One hundred and twenty patients who had a modified two-stage procedure plus concomitant tube cecostomy were compared with 83 patients who underwent a three-stage procedure with colostomy cover. Early postoperative complications occurred in 8 patients (6.6%) in whom cecostomies were performed. A distal cuff abscess developed in 1 patient (0.8%), an anastomotic leak in 1 (0.8%) and 3 patients (2.5%) had colo-anal stenosis. The cecostomy tube dislodged in 2 patients and 1 required operative closure of a faecal fistula at the cecostomy site. Colonic venting was adequate and little nursing care was required. In 2 instances colonic distension developed after cecostomy clamping. Decompression was achieved by opening the cecostomy tube; this resulted in relief of symptoms and a good subsequent recovery. In contrast, there were 11 postoperative complications in the 83 patients undergoing a three-stage procedure (13.2%). In 2 patients (2.4%) an anastomotic leak occurred and 5 distal cuff abscesses (6%), 3 (3.6%) early strictures and 1 (1.2%) neorectal retraction developed. The use of a concomitant tube cecostomy with a two-stage Soave procedure is an effective and safe means of providing proximal colonic venting and did not add to mortality or morbidity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rode
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cywes
mesh_terms: D002431:Cecostomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D006627:Hirschsprung Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies