[Massive hemorrhage from presacral veins during resection of the rectum]

During the last 53 abdominoperineal amputations of the rectum for carcinoma, we had to control 5 massive hemorrhages. 4 of which were due to a lesion of the presacral venous plexus and caused a mean blood-loss of 4750 ml. During a "normal" Mile's operation our 49 other patients lost an average of 1750 ml (median 1200 ml) of blood. The negative effects of this type of complication and the following need for massive transfusion is not only local, circulatory and pulmonary, but also due to the immunodepressive effects of massive transfusion. We describe the different methods of control of these hemorrhages and insist on the advantage of using sterilised metallic thumbtacks, a method which was described 1984 by doctor Wang Qinyao of Shanghai.