[Radical surgery in unseccessfully irradiated cervix carcinoma?]

When radiological treatment in carcinoma of the cervix has failed radical operation may still be technically feasible in certain cases. They are, however, always prone to complications resulting from tissue damage due both to radiation and surgery. Among the 6 cases described there was one double-sided necrotic fistula of the ureters and two vesical-colonic-vaginal fistulae. In two patients we observed extended necroses of the pelvic tissue 5 and 7 weeks respectively after the operation with preceding telecobalt therapy; in one case this resulted in bleeding to death. There was only one case without any complications. This had been treated before by contact therapy only without additional percutaneous radition. From this we would like to draw the conclusion that one should refrain from secondary radical operation after telecobalt therapy. The question remaine to be discussed whether in these cases ultra-radical exenteration can be successful.