Colostomy--the Port Harcourt experience.

Over the 7 years period from January 1986 to December 1992, 36 colostomies were performed at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH). The indications for the procedure were classified under congenital, traumatic, neoplastic and miscellaneous groups. Imperforate anus and Hirschsprungs disease, under the congenital group, formed the commonest indication (19 cases); traumatic conditions followed with 9 cases, carcinoma of the rectum comprised 5 cases while there were 3 cases in the miscellaneous group--made up of 2 sigmoid volvulus and one of stercoral perforation of the sigmoid colon. 27 of the colostomies were loop transverse, 6 absolute defunctioning transverse and 3 terminal Permanent). The peculiar problems encountered with this procedure are also highlighted.