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RACS ASC 2026
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Time to loop ileostomy reversal: a 5-year retrospective study in a Western Australian tertiary colorectal surgery unit
Poster
Presentation Description

Institution: Fiona Stanley Hospital - WA, Australia

Purpose: Patients are frequently told their temporary ileostomy will be reversed 90 days after its formation. However, the literature suggests only 80% of these temporary stomas are ever reversed and, if reversed, 12 months is the standard expectation for time to reversal. This study aimed to assess reversal rates, time to reversal, factors potentially impacting reversal and stoma morbidity rates for loop ileostomies performed by the Fiona Stanley Hospital (FSH) and Fremantle Hospital (FH) Colorectal Surgery Unit. Methodology: A retrospective analysis was conducted of all anterior resections with loop ileostomies performed by the FSH/FH Colorectal Surgery Unit over a 5-year period (2020-April 2024 inclusive). Data collected included whether patients were reversed, time to reversal, factors potentially impacting reversal (age, sex, ASA, emergency/elective indication for surgery, type of anterior resection, benign/malignant pathology, whether patients were given adjuvant chemotherapy) and stoma morbidity. Results: Data were collected from 148 patients. Overall ileostomy reversal rate was 92%. Over 90% of patients were reversed by 12 months. The most common reason for delayed reversal was surgical complication from the initial operation. Over 70% of patients reversed between 6 months and 1 year had no documented reason for delayed reversal. Elderly patients with malignant pathology undergoing emergency surgery were at highest risk of never being reversed. Conclusion: Reversal rates for loop ileostomies performed by the FSH/FH Colorectal Surgery Unit are higher than reversal rates reported in the wider literature. A reasonable expectation for patients based on current data is that they will be reversed within 12 months. Improvements can be made to expedite reversals to meet a 6-month target and to recognise patients at high risk of never being reversed in the preoperative setting.
Presenters
Authors
Authors

Dr Alexandra Miller - , Dr Rohit Govindarajan - , Dr Jacinta Bonney - , Professor Marina Wallace -