On-table colonic irrigation in the treatment of left-sided large-bowel emergencies

In a series of 27 patients who required surgery for distal colonic lesions, primary bowel resection with immediate anastomosis after intraoperative antegrade colonic irrigation was performed. The technique of on-table lavage was similar to that described by Dudley and Radcliffe in 1980; however, some new technical details are introduced to minimize fecal contamination. There were 17 men and 10 women (mean age, 68.5 years). Twenty patients were admitted for obstructing carcinoma of the left colon; 11 underwent immediate surgery, while the remaining 9 underwent delayed surgery after 12 hours of intravenous fluids and nasogastric suction. Of the remaining seven patients, five had perforated sigmoid diverticula and diffuse peritonitis and two had obstructing diverticular disease of the left colon with remarkable bowel distention. One hospital mortality occurred secondary to a ruptured aortic aneurysm. The radiologic anastomotic leakage rate was 14.8 percent. Clinical anastomotic dehiscence was not observed.