[Rectum carcinomas treated with Kraske procedure in elderly patients]

Kraske procedure is an option that can be chosen to treat rectal tumours in elderly patients with multiple co-morbidities, in order to minimize complications and stress caused by surgery. In the past six years, 382 rectal resections were performed in our department: 154 abdominoperineal rectum resections, 219 anterior rectum resections and 9 Kraske procedures in high anaesthetic risk patients. Kraske resection was applied for mid- and lower third rectal cancers, providing a short term survival for more than half of these patients. The authors discuss their experience with the Kraske procedure.