[Interdisciplinary aspects of surgery of the pelvis minor and retroperitoneum]

Surgery of diseases of the pelvis minor and retroperitoneum such as inflammatory disease, malignant tumours, or trauma of pelvic organs need the close interdisciplinary collaboration of visceral surgeons, gynaecologists, and urologists. This collaboration begins in planning diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. It has to be clear who performs which operative step and when. Excellent long-term results in malignant disease show that the greater effort is worthwhile. The rate of postoperative morbidity after these multivisceral resections is high also in specialised centers, but mortality is below 5%. Because of the growing number of long-term survivors, preservation of quality of life becomes more and more important.