Abstract
Peristomal variceal bleeding is a serious complication in patients with chronic liver disease undergoing colon surgery with a stoma. Our aim was to examine the morbidity of bleeding for peristomal, perianastomotic, and esophageal varices in a group of patients with chronic liver disease who underwent colectomy at the Mayo Clinic between 1970 and 1988. Morbidity was evaluated in terms of the number of major bleeding episodes and the number of units of blood transfused. The treatment of bleeding was also evaluated. One hundred seventeen patients (74 males and 43 females) aged 11–78 years were studied. Sixty-two patients (53 percent) had a permanent stoma, while 55 patients (47 percent) had a colonic resection and anastomosis. Sixty-seven patients (62 percent) had chronic ulcerative colitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. In the stoma group, bleeding appeared from stomal and/or esophageal varices in 19 patients (31 percent), while, in the non-stoma group, bleeding exclusively from the esophageal varices occurred in eight patients (15 percent). Perianastomotic variceal bleeding was never observed. The 5-year cumulative probabilities of one major bleed occurring from gastrointestinal varices appeared to be similar between the two groups. Patients who bled from peristomal varices with or without esophageal bleeding (n=17) rebled more frequently (6.5±5.5 vs.3±1.6; P <0.05) and were transfused more often (14.9±12.3 vs.7.5±4.1; P <0.05) than patients who bled exclusively from esophageal varices (n=10). No difference was found in the incidence of recurrent bleeding and the number of units of blood transfused between patients who bled exclusively from peristomal varices (n=10) and those who bled from both peristomal and esophageal varices (n =7). Medical and local measures were more effective in controlling esophageal bleeding than in controlling peristomal bleeding. Therefore, patients with chronic liver disease who must undergo colectomy should have a distal anastomosis rather than a terminal stoma.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Resnick RH, Ishihara A, Chalmers TC, Schimmel EM, The Boston Inter-Hospital Liver Group. Controlled trial of colon bypass in chronic hepatic encephalopathy. Gastroenterology 1968;54:1057–69.
Eade MN, Williams JA, Cooke WT. Bleeding from an ileostomy caput medusæ. Lancet 1969;2:1166–8.
Cameron AD, Fone DJ. Portal hypertension and bleeding ileal varices after colectomy and ileostomy for chronic ulcerative colitis. Gut 1970;11:755–9.
Hamyln AN, Lunzer MR, Morris JS, Puritz H, Dick R. Portal hypertension with varices in unusual sites. Lancet 1974;2:1531–4.
Foulkes J, Wallace DM. Haemorrhage from stomal varices in an ileal conduit. Br J Urol 1975;47:630.
Graeber GM, Ratner MH, Ackerman NB. Massive hemorrhage from ileostomy and colostomy stomas due to mucocutaneous varices in patients with coexisting cirrhosis. Surgery 1976;79:107–10.
Adson MA, Fulton RE. The ileal stoma and portal hypertension: an uncommon site of variceal bleeding. Arch Surg 1977;112:501–4.
Crooks KK, Hensle TW, Heney NM, Waltman A, Irwin RJ Jr. Ileal conduit hemorrhage secondary to portal hypertension. Urology 1978;12:689–93.
Firlit RS, Firlit CF, Canning J. Exsanguinating hemorrhage from urinary ileal conduit in patient with portal hypertension. Urology 1978;12:710–1.
Finemore RG. Repeated haemorrhage from a terminal colostomy due to mucocutaneous varices with coexisting hepatic metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma: a case report. Br J Surg 1979;66:806.
Federle M, Clark RA. Mesenteric varices: a source of mesosystemic shunts and gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Gastrointest Radiol 1979;4:331–7.
Goldstein WZ, Edoga J, Crystal R. Management of colostomal hemorrhage resulting from portal hypertension. Dis Colon Rectum 1980;23:86–90.
Ackerman NB, Graeber GM, Fey J. Enterostomal varices secondary to portal hypertension: progression of disease in conservatively managed cases. Arch Surg 1980;115:1454–5.
Ricci RL, Lee KR, Greenberger NJ. Chronic gastrointestinal bleeding from ileal varices after total proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis: correction by mesocaval shunt. Gastroenterology 1980;78:1053–8.
Eckhauser FE, Sonda LP, Strodel WE, Edgcomb LP, Turcott JG. Parastomal ileal conduit hemorrhage and portal hypertension. Ann Surg 1980;192:620–4.
Watkins RM. Variceal haemorrhage from a colostomy due to portal hypertension secondary to intrahepatic metastases from rectal carcinoma. BMJ 1981;282:189–90.
Cooper MJ, Mackie CR, Dhorajiwala J, Baker AL, Moossa AR. Hemorrhage from ileal varices after total proctocolectomy. Am J Surg 1981;141:178–9.
Hollands MJ. Parastomal haemorrhage from an ileal conduit secondary to portal hypertension. Br J Surg 1982;69:675.
Perreault JP, Laroze M, Faucher R, Paquin JM, Mauffette F. Hémorragie d'un conduit iléal secondaire à une hypertension portale. J Urol (Paris) 1982;88:47–9.
Goldstein MB, Brandt LJ, Bernstein LH, Sprayragen S. Hemorrhage from ileal varices: a delayed complication after total proctocolectomy in a patient with ulcerative colitis and cirrhosis. Am J Gastroenterol 1983;78:351–4.
Grundfest-Broniatowski S, Fazio V. Conservative treatment of bleeding stomal varices. Arch Surg 1983;118:981–5.
Johnson AG, Simms JM. Correspondecne. Br J Surg 1983;70:187–90.
Peck JJ, Boyden AM. Exigent ileostomy hemorrhage: a complication of proctocolectomy in patients with chronic ulcerative colitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Am J Surg 1985;150:153–8.
Wang MM, McGrew W, Dunn GD. Variceal bleeding from an ileostomy stoma. South Med J 1985;78:733–7.
Morgan TR, Feldshon SD, Tripp MR. Recurrent stomal variceal bleeding: successful treatment using injection sclerotherapy. Dis Colon Rectum 1986;29:269–70.
Hesterberg R, Stahlknecht CD, Röher HD. Sclerotherapy for massive enterostomy bleeding resulting from portal hypertension. Dis Colon Rectum 1986;29:275–7.
Henderson JM, Lumsden A. Variceal bleeding. South Med J 1986;79:921.
Lebrec D, Benhamou JP. Ectopic varices in portal hypertension. Baillieres Clin Gastroenterol 1985;14:105–21.
Wiesner RH, LaRusso NF, Dozois RR, Beaver SJ. Peristomal varices after proctocolectomy in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis. Gastroenterology 1986;90:316–22.
Marsh JW Jr, Iwatsuki S, Makowka L,et al. Orthotopic liver transplantation for primary sclerosing cholangitis. Ann Surg 1988;207:21–5.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Read in part at the meeting of The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, St. Louis, Missouri, April 27 to May 4, 1990.
About this article
Cite this article
Fucini, C., Wolff, B.G. & Dozois, R.R. Bleeding from peristomal varices: Perspectives on prevention and treatment. Dis Colon Rectum 34, 1073–1078 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02050064
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02050064