Assessing the Feasibility and Safety of Autologous Skin Flap-supported Loop Stomas.

Purpose: To investigate the benefits of utilizing autologous flap-supported loop stomas in comparison to conventional rod-supported loop stomas regarding feasibility, safety, convenience, and satisfaction among doctors and patients.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 98 patients who underwent ileostomy at the Gastrointestinal Department of Shanxi Bethune Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University from July 2017 to January 2021. On the basis of the ileostomy methods used, the patients were categorized into 2 groups: the autologous flap loop ileostomy group (intervention group, 48 cases) and the traditional loop ileostomy group (traditional group, 50 cases). The analysis focused on assessing the quality of the stoma, short-term and long-term complications associated with postoperative stoma, and differences in feasibility, safety, convenience, and economic factors between the 2 groups.

Results: The intervention group exhibited lower rates of short-term postoperative complications compared with the traditional group, especially in peristomal dermatitis (P=0.002) and stoma leakage (P=0.001). In addition, the frequency of stoma appliance replacement and the average cost within a 2-week period were also superior to those of the traditional group (all P<0.001). Long-term complications were not significantly different between the 2 groups (P ≥ 0.05). Moreover, the intervention group had a shorter operating time (P=0.01) and less blood loss (P=0.006) than the traditional group for the ostomy closure surgery.

Conclusions: Autologous flap-supported loop stoma shows a notable decrease in postoperative stoma-related short-term complications, offering superior feasibility, safety, convenience, with favorable economic aspects as well.