Comparison of T Tube Ileostomy and Bishop Koop Ileostomy for the Management of Uncomplicated Meconium Ileus.

BACKGROUND: Meconium ileus is a common cause of neonatal intestinal obstruction. Various surgical procedures are in practice for uncomplicated meconium ileus. Bishop Koop ileostomy allows distal passage of gut content and uses the distal absorptive area. T tube ileostomy avoids the need for gut resection and formal closure of stoma. The aim of this prospective interventional study was to compare the outcome of T-tube ileostomy and Bishop Koop ileostomy for the treatment of uncomplicated meconium ileus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was a prospective interventional study from January 2015 to December 2016. Patients were randomly assigned to the T-tube ileostomy group (group A) and Bishop Koop ileostomy group (group B). The patients were followed up for 6 weeks post-operatively. Surgical outcomes between the two groups were compared.

RESULTS: The age range of the patients was 1 to 7 days; majority of the patients were males. Mean operation time of group A (60.76±5.81 minutes) and group B (87.05±6.49 minutes) showed significant difference (p =0.0001). After operation, mean time to start bowel movements in group A (4.90±1.41days) and group B (6.53±2.58 days) showed significant difference (p= 0.020). Times to establish oral feeding, irrigation tube removal and postoperative complications showed no significant difference. All patients that survived in the group B required formal stoma closure, while in the group A stomas closed spontaneously. One patient in the group A had intraperitoneal leakage leading to mortality after second operation. Four patients had leakage in the group B; 2 of them died.

CONCLUSIONS: T-tube ileostomy was found as an effective and safe procedure for the management of uncomplicated meconium ileus.