A close adherence to a Stoma-Therapic Pathway improves immediate stoma-related outcomes and reduces the length of hospital stay

Abstract Purpose: New stoma creation is related with a wide range of implications and stoma-related complications could occur frequently. Aim was to assess the impact of a close stoma-therapic-care pathway (STCP) in terms of length of stay, autonomy in the management of the pouch, readmission rate and stoma-related complicationsMethods: Patients undergoing surgery for colorectal disease and first stoma creation from January 2017 to December 2020 were analyzed. All patients enrolled had joined the ERAS protocol. Results: Among 143 enrolled, 56 (40%) didn’t follow completely the STCP (group A), whereas 87 (60%) demonstrated a strictly compliance (group B). The hospital stay was 8 days in the group B vs 11,5 in the group A (p=0,001). The first look at the stoma needed 1 day in the group B vs 3 days in the group A (p<0,001), emptying the pouch 2 day in the group B vs 5 days in the group A (p<0,001) and ability to change the pouch 3 day in the group B vs 6 days in the group A (p<0,001). Stoma related complications were 9 (16.1%) in the group B and 16 (18.4%) in the group A, and 30 days readmission was 10,1% in the group B and 11,5% in the group A, p=0,82 and p=1, respectively, not significant. Conclusions: The STCP has been shown to reduce the hospital stay and to have a protective role making the patient autonomous in the management of the stoma.