ILEOSTOMY DYSFUNCTION WITH ADJUVANT CHEMORADIATION FOR RECTAL CARCINOMA REQUIRING IN‐HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT: A CAUSE FOR CONCERN

The morbidity and mortality of 20 patients undergoing adjuvant chemoradiation for rectal carcinoma was documented. Of nine patients with defunctioning loop ileostomies, two suffered from dehydration and electrolyte disturbance during the treatment phase and required admission to hospital. These two cases suggest that dehydration and electrolyte disturbance from high stomal output could be a serious problem following chemoradiation therapy in patients with an ileostomy.