title: A multicenter, retrospective study to evaluate the effect of preoperative stoma site marking on stomal and peristomal complications.
abstract: Even though preoperative marking of the stoma area is considered important for the prevention of postoperative complications, not all healthcare institutions have universally adopted this practice. A multicenter, retrospective, descriptive study was conducted to determine the effect of stoma site marking on stomal and peristomal complications. The 1-year study included 748 patients (408 [54.5%] male, mean age 56.60 ± 16.73 years) from eight stomatherapy units in Turkey. Patient data, including age, gender, diagnosis, type of surgery, history of preoperative stoma site marking, person performing the marking, and postoperative complications, were obtained from patient records, abstracted, and analyzed. Cancer was the reason for the operation in 545 (72.9%) of the cases. In 287 patients (38.4%), the stoma and wound care nurse and/or surgeon marked the stoma area; this occurred 1 day before or on the day of surgery according to Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses Society and American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons recommendations. Stomal/ peristomal complications developed in 248 (33.2%) persons; the most frequently observed complications in patients were parastomal skin problems (136, 48.7%), mucocutaneous separation (52, 18.6%), and retraction (31, 11.1%). The rate of complications was higher among patients whose stoma site was not marked than among those whose stoma site was marked (22.9% and 46%, respectively; P <0.001). The results of this study confirm the stoma area should be marked preoperatively in all planned surgical interventions in order to reduce the risk of postoperative complications. Additional prospective and experimental studies on effectiveness of preoperative stoma site marking should be conducted with larger sample groups.
authors.affiliation: Gazi University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zehra Gocmen
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Baykara
authors.affiliation: Gazi University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Ankara, Turkey; email: sevilgulerdemir@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Sevil Guler
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.affiliation: Gazi University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayise
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karadag
authors.affiliation: Dokuz Eylul University Hospital Stomatherapy Unit, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harputlu
authors.affiliation: Ege University Hospital Stomatherapy Unit, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aysel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kahraman
authors.affiliation: Turkey High Specialization Education and Research Hospital Stomatherapy Unit, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sercan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karadag
authors.affiliation: Gazi University Hospital Stomatherapy Unit, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aysel Oren
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Hin
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Hospital Stomatherapy Unit, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Eylem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Togluk
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University Capa Hospital Stomatherapy Unit, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Meral
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Altinsoy
authors.affiliation: Uludag University Hospital Stomatherapy Unit, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sonca
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.affiliation: Cukurova University Hospital Stomatherapy Unit, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Rabia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cihan
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D057234:Preoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D054047:Surgical Stomas / Q000009:adverse effects; D014421:Turkey