Stoma closure and wound infection: An evaluation of risk factors

Objective: To assess the infection rate in the nonstoma wound in patients who undergo stoma closure. Design: Chart review. Setting: A tertiary-care hospital. Patients: Ninety-five patients who underwent elective closure of an abdominal wall stoma requiring a separate abdominal incision. Interventions: Elective general surgery procedures. Main Outcome Measure: Wound infection rate. Results: The overall wound infection rate was 29%. Primary wound closure was associated with a markedly increased wound infection rate (41%) compared with delayed primary or secondary wound closure (15%). No other preoperative factor specifically predicted a high rate of postoperative nonstoma wound infection. Conclusions: The nonstoma wound during elective closure of an abdominal stoma is at high risk for infection postoperatively. Delayed primary or secondary closure may lessen this risk.