A meta‐analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of colostomy or ileostomy on post‐operative wound complications. The research was tested using Embase, PubMed and Cochrane Library databases. Included were randomized, controlled clinical trials (RCTs). A sensitivity analysis and a meta‐analysis were carried out. The results indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in the reduction of wound infection between LC and LI. Out of 268 related studies, 5 publications were chosen and examined for compliance. Literature quality was evaluated throughout the trial. Studies with poor literature were excluded. The data were analysed with RevMan 5.3, and a decision was taken to analyse the data with either a stochastic or a fixed‐effects model. There were no significant differences in the incidence of post‐operative infection in patients with LC (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.34, 1.81; p = 0.57), and the incidence of post‐operative anastomotic fistulae (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.30, 3.15; p = 0.97) was not significantly different from that with LI. These meta‐analyses indicate that no significant reduction in the incidence of post‐operative infections or anastomotic fistulae was observed by either LC or LI.