Meta-analysis of temporary ileostomy versus temporary colostomy for colorectal anastomoses

Objective To compare the complications of temporary ileostomy and temporary colostomy for colorectal anastomoses,then to evaluate which one is superior to another.Methods Studies and relevant literatures comparing temporary ileostomy with temporary colostomy for defunctioning colorectal anastomoses were searched though PubMed,Embase and the Cochrane Library.The rates of complications were pooled and compared using a meta-analysis.The risk ratios were calculated with 95％ confidence intervals to evaluate the safety and efficacy of each technique.Results Five randomized controlled trials and seven non-randomized studies were included,with 1687 patients in total.The meta-analysis of the RCTs demonstrated a lower risk of stoma prolapse ( Risk ratio 0.15) in the temporary ileostomy group.Meta-analysis of the non-randomized studies showed a lower risk of stoma prolapse ( Risk ratio 0.26) and wound infection after stoma closure ( Risk ratio 0.28 ) in the temporary ileostomy group.No other statistically significant difference was observed for complications.Conclusions Each type of defunctioning stoma has its advantages and disadvantages.The authors endorse temporary ileostomy over temporary colostomy.However,there is not a strong evidence for the superiority of one temporary stoma over another for colorectal anastomoses.Large scale RCTs and high quality studies are needed. Key words: Ileostomy; Colostomy; Colorectal surgery; Complications; Meta-analysis