The First Year After Colorectal Surgery in the Elderly

PURPOSE: Surgery for colorectal malignancy is increasingly being performed in the elderly. Little is known about the impact of complications on late mortality. This study aimed to analyze whether a complicated postoperative course affects the 1-year survival in elderly patients. METHODS: All consecutive patients older than 75 years of age who underwent colorectal cancer surgery between January 2009 and April 2013 were included in this study. The main outcome was mortality at 1 year after surgery. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine risk factors for a poor outcome (mortality) after survival of the early postoperative course of surgery at 1-year follow-up. Patients who died within 30 days postoperatively were excluded from analysis. RESULTS: The early mortality rate was 6.3% (n = 15), and 2 patients died during follow-up as a result of complications after a second surgery. A total of 223 patients survived the perioperative period and were included in this study. Twenty-two patients (9.9%) died during the first year of follow-up. Stage IV disease (P = 0.002), complications of primary surgery (P = 0.016), and comorbidity (P = 0.050) were risk factors for 1-year mortality. Intensive care unit stay, reoperation and readmission were not associated with a worse 1-year outcome. CONCLUSION: Elderly patients with stage IV disease at the time of surgery, comorbidity, and postoperative complications are at risk for mortality during the first year after surgery. A patient-tailored approach with special attention to perioperative care should be considered in the elderly.

Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation to Improve Functional Outcome After a Low Anterior Resection: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE: Impaired functional outcome is common after a low anterior resection (LAR). Pelvic floor rehabilitation (PFR) might improve functional outcome after a LAR. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of PFR in improving functional outcome. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched using the terms fecal incontinence, colorectal neoplasm/surgery, LAR, rectal cancer, anterior resection syndrome, bowel habit, pelvic floor, training, therapy, physical therapy, rehabilitation and biofeedback. Of the 125 identified records, 5 articles were included. RESULTS: The 5 included studies reported on 321 patients, of which 286 patients (89%) underwent pelvic floor training. Three studies included patients with anterior resection syndrome after a LAR while the remaining studies included a series of patients after a LAR. Functional outcome was mostly assessed by using the Wexner incontinence scale. Quality of life was assessed in one study, and in three studies, rectal manometry was performed. After PFR, the functional outcome was improved in four studies, as was the quality of life. CONCLUSION: This systematic review demonstrated that PFR is useful for improving the functional outcome after a LAR. The data are extracted from studies of limited quality, but the available evidence points to the effectiveness of the procedure.