INTRAOPERATIVE COLONIC LAVAGE IN EMERGENCY SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF LEFT-SIDED COLONIC OBSTRUCTION

PURPOSE: The study contained herein was undertaken to verify if immedi ate resection with anastomosis with on-site lavage in emergency treatm ent of left colon obstruction is a safe alternative to the multistage procedure, to look for solutions to practical problems outlined by pre vious authors, and to check the hospital stay. METHOD: between 1991 an d 1995, all patients (61) admitted with left colon obstruction were tr eated with intraoperative colonic lavage and primary anastomosis. Pers onal development of Dudley's technique is reported. Complications and mortality are pointed out. Later, endoscopy was performed to check the status of all survivors. RESULT: Low mortality (2 percent) and major complication rates (3 percent) and short hospital stay (11 days, excep t for patients with major complications) are reported in our series. C ONCLUSION: One-stage surgery with intraoperative lavage is a safe proc edure. Patients have a better quality of life (no stoma occurred) with an effective cost-savings.