RETROSPECTIVE STUDY ON EMERGENCY-SURGERY OF THE LEFT COLON

From 1976 to 1988, 123 emergency left colon procedures were carried ou t. 79 were single-step procedures, 34 were two-step and 10 were three- step. The presence or not of peritonitis was not systematically taken into consideration for procedure choice. Two of the 79 single-step pat ients presented an anastomosis leakage repair. Three of seven patients with postoperative peritonitis required reoperation for abscess forma tion. These figures are not significantly higher than those encountere d in the two- or three-step procedure groups. As it was, one of these patients required a reintervention for fistula excision, as well as up per stomy trouble. In summary, we can say that emergency left colon re section with anastomosis without protective stomy is preferable with a ssociated adequate antibiotherapy.