Analysis of Risk Factors of Stoma related complications: An Observational study

BACKGROUND: Stoma is a Greek word meaning ‘mouth’ or ‘opening’. Stoma surgery results in a small opening on the surface of the abdomen being surgically created in order to divert the flow of faeces and/or urine. Stoma creation can be mentally and physically affecting the patient. The related complications due to the procedure can also have a bearing on the outcome of the stoma after the surgery and also on the financial status of the patient. There is also a social change these patients have to accept as a part of the stoma in view of need for constant change of bag, the smell that comes from it and also the difficulty in hiding the bag. There is also the additional burden of re-operation for stoma closure or for stoma complications which also puts a financial, physical and psychological strain on the patients. AIM OF THE STUDY: To study the stoma related complications, risk factors assessment which will include patient related factors and intraoperative factors and to see if any modifiable factors are seen with regards to these that could help change the patient outcomes. METHODOLOGY: All the relevant data regarding the patients who have undergone surgery in the department of surgery unit IV from the year December 2011 to December 2018 was collected retrospectively and prospectively in the given period. The data was collected from hospitals electronic database and patient outpatient document. In relevant cases, telephonic communication was made with the patients to collect relevant data and for follow up. The period of study will be till the last recorded visit of the patient following the surgery to look for any complications of the procedure. The various data collected will include age, gender, initial diagnosis, comorbidities, if the surgery was elective or emergency, the person operating, if it is colostomy or ileostomy, if it is end or loop soma, albumin level, haemoglobin level and BMI of the patient. The data is then grouped for ease of study using relevant cut-off’s. Once the data has been collected the same will be evaluated by means of statistical multivariant and univariant analysis to look for the relevant modifiable changes. RESULTS: In the study conducted the various parameters which could potentially be a cause of stoma complications were assessed as described above. The analysis of the same did not reveal any relevant finding. None of the parameters in the study showed any association with the formations of stoma complications following stoma surgery. There was no significant association of these parameters with regards to the early and late stoma complications either