[Left-side colonic ileus treated with peroperative lavage and primary anastomosis]

Eight patients aged 56-85 years were operated on as emergencies because of left sided mechanical colonic obstruction. The whole colon was mobilized, a Foley-catheter introduced into coecum preferably through the appendicular stump or alternatively a terminal ileotomy and a scavenger tube was introduced into the left colon proximal to the obstruction. By antegrade lavage with isotonic sodium chloride assisted manually colon was emptied, the pathological process resected and a primary anastomosis performed. No cases of anastomotic leakage or infectious complications occurred. One patient had to be operated on again because of a small wound dehiscence. The mean hospital stay was 13 days. The advantages of the treatment are that the patient is managed at the emergency operation, the frequency of complications is low and hospital stay short. It is therefore a good alternative to procedures involving temporary colostomy.