Early Versus Delayed Ileostomy Closure Following Bowel Surgery (EDIC)

August 24, 2026 updated by: Dr. Waseem Ullah

Comparison of Mean Post-Operative Hospital Stay in Early and Delayed Ileostomy Closure Following Bowel Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Temporary ileostomy is commonly created following bowel surgery to protect distal anastomoses and reduce the consequences of anastomotic leakage. However, the optimal timing for ileostomy closure remains controversial. Early closure may improve quality of life and reduce stoma-related complications, whereas delayed closure may allow better recovery but prolong stoma-related morbidity and hospital care. This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the mean post-operative hospital stay between early (within 8 weeks) and delayed (after 8 weeks) ileostomy closure following bowel surgery. Sixty eligible patients will be randomized equally into two groups. The findings will help determine the optimal timing of ileostomy reversal and may improve patient outcomes while reducing healthcare utilization.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Temporary ileostomy is frequently performed after bowel surgery as a protective measure for intestinal anastomosis or as part of emergency surgical management. Although ileostomy closure is considered a routine procedure, the ideal timing of closure remains uncertain. Early closure has the potential to improve patient quality of life, reduce stoma-related complications, and shorten the overall treatment course. Conversely, delayed closure may provide additional time for recovery and anastomotic healing but may increase the duration of stoma-related morbidity and healthcare resource utilization.

This prospective, randomized controlled trial will be conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Lady Reading Hospital-Medical Teaching Institution, Peshawar, Pakistan. A total of 60 adult patients (18-65 years) with temporary ileostomy following bowel surgery who meet the eligibility criteria will be enrolled using consecutive sampling and randomized in a 1:1 ratio into two study groups using block randomization.

Participants in the intervention group will undergo early ileostomy closure within 8 weeks of ileostomy creation, while participants in the comparator group will undergo delayed ileostomy closure after 8 weeks. The primary outcome will be post-operative hospital stay, measured as the number of days from ileostomy closure surgery until hospital discharge.

Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics, including age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, residence, financial background, and post-operative complications, will be recorded. Data will be analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25. Continuous variables will be analyzed using the independent-samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U test according to data distribution, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

The study has received ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board of Lady Reading Hospital-Medical Teaching Institution, Peshawar (IRB Reference No. 85/LRH/MTI, dated 06 February 2025). The results are expected to provide evidence regarding the optimal timing of temporary ileostomy closure in terms of reducing post-operative hospital stay and improving clinical outcomes.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
73

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Pakistan
      • Peshawar, Pakistan, 25000
        • Lady Reading Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria

  • Adults aged 18-65 years.
  • Male or female participants.
  • Patients with a temporary ileostomy following bowel surgery.
  • Patients scheduled for elective ileostomy closure.
  • Participants willing to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Abdominal wall dehiscence.
  • Tubercular perforation.
  • Peritoneal contamination.
  • Patients medically unfit for surgery.
  • Refusal to provide informed consent.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Early Ileostomy Closure
Participants undergo ileostomy closure within 8 weeks of ileostomy creation following bowel surgery.
Procedure: Early Ileostomy Closure
Surgical reversal of temporary ileostomy performed within 8 weeks after ileostomy creation.
Active Comparator: Delayed Ileostomy Closure
Participants undergo ileostomy closure more than 8 weeks after ileostomy creation following bowel surgery.
Procedure: Delayed Ileostomy Closure
Surgical reversal of temporary ileostomy performed more than 8 weeks after ileostomy creation.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Post-operative hospital stay
Time Frame: From the date of ileostomy closure until hospital discharge (up to 30 days).
Post-operative hospital stay will be measured as the number of days from ileostomy closure surgery until discharge from the hospital. The mean duration will be compared between patients undergoing early (≤8 weeks) and delayed (>8 weeks) ileostomy closure.
From the date of ileostomy closure until hospital discharge (up to 30 days).

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Dr. Waseem Ullah

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 2, 2026

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 5, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 8, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 4, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 4, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 10, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 26, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 24, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • LRH-85-2025-ILEO
  • IRB Ref. No. 85/LRH/MTI (06-Fe (Other Identifier: Lady Reading Hospital)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

De-identified individual participant data underlying the published results will be available upon reasonable request.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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