From 1978 to 1992, 55 patients (48 women : 87 %) with a mean age of 62
years (35-89) underwent 70 operations for radiation injury of the sma
ll bowel. Primary pathology treated with radiotherapy was gynecologic
cancer (40: 72 %), digestive malignancy (9: 16 %), male genital cancer
(4: 7 %), carcinoma of the bladder (2: 3 %). External radiation was p
erformed alone (47: 85.5 %) or associated with intracavitary radium or
cesium (8: 14.5 %), mean radiation dose was 50 Gy for 35 patients and
not specified for 20 but greater than 45 Gy for all patients. Fifteen
patients had associated chemotherapy. Latent period between radiation
injury and First symptoms was 39 months (1-16 years) and 72 months (3
-26 years) between radiation and surgical treatment. There were 28 sol
itary lesions (mean length: 148.5 cm) with 5 associated colonic injuri
es, 27 multiple lesions of the small bowel (mean length: 187.5 cm) wit
h 21 associated colonic injuries. Twenty-one lesions of the abdominal
wall and 13 lesions of the urinary tract were also associated. Ninetee
n patients had pre-operative total parenteral nutritional assistance.
Surgical treatment was performed for chronic obstruction in 46 patient
s, for fistulae in 5 or for an acute complication in 4 (perforating pe
ritonitis: 3, occlusion: 1). Operations performed were: small bowel re
section (32), associated with bypass (2); internal by-pass (15); disse
ction of adhesions and/or stomy (7). Results: Operative mortality was
2 (6.2 %). Morbidity occurred in 16 (29 %) with 3 anastomotic fistulae
. Functional results were good for 36 patients (24 resections, 7 by-pa
ss), poor for 2 (1 resection). Failure leading to a second operation o
ccurred in 15 (5 resections, 8 by-pass). Comments: 1) pre-operative nu
tritional assistance improves operative results; 2) intestinal resecti
on is preferable to internal by-pass whenever it can be per formed wit
hout extreme risk or unacceptable sequelae.