Comparison of stent placement and colostomy as palliative treatment for inoperable malignant colorectal obstruction

Background: Stent placement is a useful palliative treatment for inoperable acute malignant colorectal obstruction. However, data comparing stent placement with colostomy are scarce. Methods: We compared the clinical outcome of 18 patients who had stent placement and 17 patients who underwent only colostomy. Results: The postoperative hospital stay was 22.3 days for stent placement compared with 47.4 days for colostomy (p = 0.016). The duration to readmission was 129.2 days for stent placement and 188.4 days for colostomy. The estimated duration of primary stent patency was 106 days. Mean survival period was 134 days in patients with stent placement and 191 days in patients with colostomy. Conclusion: Postoperative hospital stay was shorter in patients with stent placement but duration to readmission and survival were longer in patients with colostomy. However, stent placement increases the option of palliative treatment and is an effective treatment contributing to improving quality of life.