Pediatric Stomas: A Study in a Teaching Hospital, Our Experience

Background: A stoma is a purposeful surgical connection of a segment of a hollow viscus (intestine, ureter) to the anterior abdominal wall and can be a life-saving procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate our experience in respect of stomas (ileostomies, colostomies, ureterostomies) performed in children. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study of children who had stoma created at the pediatric surgery unit of a teaching hospital in Enugu, Nigeria. Children who had intestinal or urinary tract stomas were included in the study and covered a 10-year period. The information analyzed included the patients’ age, gender, diagnosis, indications for the stoma creation, type of stoma (colostomy, ileostomy and ureterostomy), post-operative complications and treatment outcome. Results: A total of 112 stomas were created in children during the 10-year study period. There were 80 (71.4%) males and 32 (28.6%) females. Hirschsprung’s disease and typhoid intestinal perforation were the first and second most common indications for stoma creation. Colostomy creation and peristomal skin excoriations were the most performed stoma and most common post-operative complication respectively. Eleven (9.8%) patients expired due to respiratory failure and uncontrollable sepsis. Conclusion: Stoma creation may form an essential component for the treatment of surgical conditions in children and it can be life-saving. Stomas can be created for disorders of the intestinal and urinary tracts. There may be stoma complications accounting for morbidity experienced in these patients.