[Minimal intestinal preparation before colectomy for cancer. Experience of 189 cases]

189 cases of colectomy for cancer have undergone limited bowel preparation by one or two enemas the day before surgery. The anastomosis has been performed manually with a continuous suture of resorbable material. Hospital mortality is 1.6% for the whole series and limited to 0.5% for elective resections despite the old age of the patients included (70.6 +/- 11 years, with 40.7% more than 75 years). Morbidity rate is 13.9% and of 2.6% for local septic complications. No clinical anastomotic dehiscence was demonstrated. From these results, poor local bowel preparation does not appear to be a risk factor of colectomy for cancer.