[Reoperations in primary rectal cancer]

The authors studied the results of repeated radical operations performed in 73 patients who had been subjected earlier to exploratory and palliative operations. During repeated interventions radical operations were conducted on 54 (74%) patients which were of a combined character in 11 (20.4%) of them. Localized-radical palliative resections and extirpations in the presence of remote metastases were performed on 3 (4.1%) patients. Palliative operations were carried out on 16 (21.9%) patients. Postoperative mortality was 6.8%. The data provides evidence that the performance of repeated operations is expedient and justified because they make it possible to raise the resectability index among patients with rectal carcinoma.