Primary resection and anastomosis with intraoperative colonic defecation in left colonic cancer with complete obstruction

Objective To assess the value of primary resection and anastomosis with intraoperative colonic defecation in the patients with obstructive left colonic cancer. Methods From January 2000 to January 2008, 39 patients undergoing emergency laparotomy for left colonic cancers with complete obstruction were analyzed retrospectively. Results The patients were 25 males and 14 females, with a median age of 68.5 years (range: 57～78 years). The primary tumors were located at splenic flexure (3/7.7%), descending colon (8/20.5%), sigmoid colon (15/38.5%), boundary of sigmoid colon and rectum (8/20.5%), and superior segment of rectum (5/12.8%). Primary resection and anastomosis with intraoperative colonic de-fection were performed in 18 patients with left hemicolectomy, 13 patients with sigmoid colectomy and 8 pa-tients with anterior resection. Early complications included wound infection in 4 patients (wound disruption in 1 patient) and pulmonary infection in 5 patients. One patient complicated with anastomotic leakage and intra-abdominal abscess died of tumor metastasis after reoperation. Another one died of respiratory failure secondary to pulmonary infection. Morbidity and mortality was 25.6% and 5.1% respectively. Conclusion Primary resection with intraoperative colonic defecation can be applied to patients with malignant colonic complete obstruction with good operative results. Key words: colonic carcinoma; intestinal obstruction; resection and anastomosis