Mucosal colonic tube fistula with antireflux wrap for antegrade colonic enema

Antegrade enemas can provide children with excellent faecal continence in situations where adequate control has been compromised because of underlying congential anomaly or poor surgical outcome in their treatment. The enema is often delivered through an appendicostomy. If the appendix is absent or utilized for another purpose, then placement of a chait tube or caecostomy button can provide access to the colon for the enema. However, these devices may be associated with breakages, accidental removal and leakage and replacement may require another operative procedure under a general anaesthetic. Full thickness colonic tubes can also be constructed at any point along the colon but in the author’s experience, they can be associated with significant leakage of both gas and faecal material. The construction of a mucosal colonic tube with anti-reflux wrap is a technique that avoids the above problems and offers a distinctive advantage in selected situations. The technique relies on tabularising mucosa alone to create a continent fistula. Six children with severe soiling underwent the technique. The outcomes were evaluated using a modified quality of life score (QOLI) [1, 2]. The score included assessment of soiling, staining, odour, self-esteem and socialization measure. Technical evaluation included analysis of the ease of catheterization and continence of the mucosal fistula site. All six patients had dramatic improvement in their faecal continence with complete resolution of soiling in all six. Follow up median is 42 months and the range is 6–48 months. QOLI scores improved from a total of 4.75 to 18.5. Possible range is 0–21. All the six fistula sites catheterize easily and no stenosis or faecal leakage has occurred. Two patients required treatment of minor granulations at the entry site of the fistula during the early healing phase.