Identifying causes for high readmission rates after stoma reversal

Unplanned readmissions after colorectal surgery impact patient and financial outcomes. Our goal was to identify factors related to readmission in ostomy reversal patients. Review of a prospective department database was performed from 2006 to 2012 to identify patients who underwent an ostomy reversal. Patients were stratified into nonreadmitted and readmitted within 30 days of ostomy reversal. The main outcome measures were predictors of readmission and characteristics of patients readmitted and not readmitted. A total of 351 ostomy reversals (86 % ileostomy and 14 % colostomy) were analyzed; 44 patients were readmitted (12.5 %). Readmitted and nonreadmitted patients were similar in age, body mass index, gender, comorbidities, indications for the index operation, and time to ostomy reversal. Readmitted patients had longer operative times (p = 0.002) and length of stay (p = 0.001), more intraoperative blood loss (p = 0.003), intraoperative complications (p = 0.005), ICU requirements (p < 0.0001), need for temporary nursing at discharge (p < 0.001), and higher total hospital costs than nonreadmitted patients (p = 0.0162). Longer operative time [odds ratio (OR) 1.006, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.001-1.012], intraoperative complications (OR 7.334, 95 % CI 1.23-43.761), ICU stay (OR 1.291, 95 % CI 1.18-1.893), delayed discharge (OR 1.085, 95 % CI 1.003-1.173), and discharge to skilled nursing facility (OR 6.936, 95 % CI 1.531-31.332) were independent predictors of readmission. Ostomy type had no independent effect on readmission. Differences in perioperative and outcomes variables exist between readmitted and nonreadmitted patients after ostomy reversal. Longer operative times, intraoperative complications, intensive care unit care, longer length of stay, and skilled nursing at discharge were independently predictive of readmission. These findings can be used to identify high-risk patients prospectively, potentially improving clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization.