ABSTRACT
To study the complications and mortality associated with colostomy in penetrating colonic injuries; besides gathering additional information regarding the mechanism, pattern and the type of colonic injuries. Retrospective study from Jan. 1997 to Dec. 2005. Surgical Unit III, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi. All patients with penetrating colonic injuries who underwent colostomy as a mode of treatment. The data of the above mentioned patients was collected from records and analyzed. A total of 83 patients, majority being young [78.3% <40 years] and males [91.5%], underwent colostomy for penetrating colonic injuries. In most [89%] of the patients the mechanism of trauma was gunshot injury. The over-all morbidity was 28.9%, while the colostomy related complications were 8.4%. The mortality in this series was 2.4%. Colostomy is a safe and effective method of treating patients with penetrating colonic injuries