[Enterostomy in Crohn disease].

Indications, technique and prognosis of 129 enterostomies in Crohn's disease are reported. Advanced perianal or entero-genital fistulas represented the predominant indication (60% of primary, 46% of repeated stomas). 85% of stomas were created in combination with intestinal resections. Preferred type of stoma was a loopileostomy (76% of primary stomas), whereas colostomies were avoided whenever possible because of increased complications. Patients initially presenting with rectal involvement or perianal fistulas were prone to need a stoma during the course of their disease while intraabdominal fistulas, abscesses, age, sex, and longstanding disease where of no prognostic significance. Up to now 50% of all temporary stomas and a third of those created for distal fistulas could be closed. The chance of closure increased significantly with duration of symptoms less than 7 years, not more than one previous operation or absence of rectal involvement.