Postoperative morbidity and mortality following resection of the colon and rectum for cancer

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Abstract
Whose clinical, operative, and pathology data were prospectively documented over a 20-year period. RESULTS: Mortality following elective resection of the left and right colon was low, whereas overall morbidity was high (37.2 percent). Respiratory and cardiac complications were especially common. Incidence of clinically significant leakage was similar following right (0.5 percent) or left (1.1 percent) hemicolectomy. Incidence of anastomotic leakage was significantly higher after emergency right hemicolectomy (4.3 percent). Overall morbidity following excision of the rectum was high (40.2 percent). Respiratory and cardiac complications predominated. Incidence of clinically significant anastomotic leakage following anterior resection was low (2.9 percent). Over the years, there has been a decline in the number of patients with tumor demonstrated histologically in a line of resection, suggesting an improved local surgical clearance. CONCLUSIONS: These results following conventional surgery may be useful when evaluating new techniques. Read in part at the meeting of The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, San Francisco, California, June 7 to 12, 1992. © The ASCRS 1995...