title: [Comparison of colostomies and ileostomies as diverting stomas after low anterior resection].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate two procedures (transverse colostomy and ileostomy) as diverting stomas after low anterior resection to determine whether one is superior to the other.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature review was performed to compare both stomas from construction to closure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Distinguishing between the complications specific to stoma construction from those caused by anterior resection is difficult. While the stoma is in place, transverse colostomy seems to be better tolerated. Colostomy closure seems to have more septic complications, although the real frequency of bowel obstruction after ileostomy closure remains to be determined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the characteristics of previous studies, the superiority of one diverting stoma over the other cannot be established. Ileostomy seems better tolerated by patients and is associated with a lower complication rate after closure (bowel obstruction remains to be evaluated). Randomized prospective studies with a larger number of patients are required to determine which of these procedures is superior.
authors.affiliation: Sección de Coloproctologia, Servicio de Cirugía General y del Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Virgen del Camino, Pamplona, Navarra, España. parmendr@cfnavarra.es
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Armendáriz-Rubio
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Miguel Velasco
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ortiz Hurtado
mesh_terms: D003125:Colostomy / Q000379:methods*; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D007081:Ileostomy / Q000379:methods*; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D054047:Surgical Stomas