A common treatment for wounds that penetrate the colon (part of the large intestine) is to attach the colon, from at or above the injury, to a bag outside the body via the abdominal wall (this is called a colostomy or fecal diversion). This diverts feces from the injury, to prevent infection and death. With improved critical care techniques and antibiotic therapy many trauma centers now manage their patients with direct repair of the colon to close the injury. The potential advantages are avoidance of complications of having an opening of the colon in the abdomen wall (stoma) to a bag, the need for another procedure for stoma closure, and the psychological and financial burden of stoma care.

The review authors searched the medical literature and found six controlled studies in which patients were randomized to primary repair or fecal diversion. Results were reported for a total of 705 patients. The two groups sustained significant injuries with the primary repair patients at least as ill as the diverted patients. The studies were reported from 1979 to 2002 and involved increasingly 'high risk' patients. Five were conducted in the United States and one in South Africa. Primary closure was at least as safe as fecal diversion. The number of deaths was similar in both the primary repair (1.94%) and the diverted groups (1.74%). Total complications, total infectious complications, abdominal infections and wound complications all favored primary repair. The studies did not adequately report colostomy closure for trauma-related colostomies, which can itself result in complications and significant illness.