On-table colonic lavage in emergency large bowel surgery: is it always feasible?

ABSTRACT

A series of 42 patients who required emergency surgery for distal colonic lesions were admitted to this study. Out of these patients, 24 were operated upon with primary bowel resection and immediate anastomosis after intraoperative colonic irrigation and 18 had primary resection with delayed anastomosis. The overall results proved on- table lavage to be an affective method that enables primary colonic anastomosis and less hospital stay, without a significant increase in complication rates. However, the study concluded that the best results were obtained in patients presented with colonic bleeding, next in those with intestinal obstruction, then in the group presented with peritonitis. Thus, the technique is not considered to be an absolute one and cases should be selected according to the presenting lesion in addition to other factors as age and general condition of the patient