Fluctuation of blood pressure and pulse rate during colostomy irrigation.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the effects of colostomy irrigation on the vital signs of patients with left colostomy.


METHODS
Twenty-two consecutive patients who underwent abdominoperineal resection for cancer of the lower rectum and had left lower quadrant end colostomy were included in this study. Subjective symptoms, blood pressure, and pulse rate during the first irrigation were investigated.


RESULTS
Fluctuation of blood pressure during instillation was 8.0/8.5 mmHg (average) and 25.0/17.9 mmHg during evacuation. Fluctuation of pulse rate was 5.5 per minute (average) during instillation and 11.5 per minute during evacuation. The number of subjects who showed more than 20% fluctuation of systolic pressure was 12 (54.5 percent) and that of diastolic pressure was 14 (63.6 percent). One of 22 patients complained of illness during irrigation.


CONCLUSIONS
Although colostomy irrigation showed no significant effects on vital signs in the majority of patients, it caused a significant reduction in both blood pressure and pulse rate in a small number of patients. Careful attention should be paid to vital signs considering the possibility of such effects, especially on the initial irrigation.
Sadahiro
S
S
Department of Surgery, Tokai University School of Medicine, Japan.
Noto
T
T
Tajima
T
T
Mitomi
T
T
Miyazaki
T
T
Numata
M
M
D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003125:Colostomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011674:Pulse; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000009:adverse effects