[Palliative surgery of malignant small bowel obstruction after colorectal cancer]

Although invasive surgical procedures in cancer patients can possibly cure malignancy, these strategies are potentially harmful by restricting quality of life and lifetime. Surgical therapies in palliative situations have to be carefully considered and well planned for every individual patient. The case report of the following patient suffering from malignant small bowel obstruction caused by local recurrence of colorectal cancer may make aware of difficulties and doubts in decision-making. After research oft the literature on this topic it is obvious that standards of therapy currently do not exist.