Improved management of the perineal wound after proctectomy

In an effort to avoid the failures of perineal wound healing that are common after proctectomy, 57 patients who had abdominoperineal resection of the rectum or total proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis (35 patients), Crohn's colitis (12), or carcinoma (10) had primary closure of the levator muscles and perineal tissues. No attempt was made to approximate the pelvic peritoneum. The small bowel was allowed to fill the pelvic space, which was also drained by suction catheters brought out through the lower abdominal wall. The skin and subcutaneous tissues were allowed to heal by secondary intention in seven patients who had excessive preoperative perineal sepsis from fistulas, deep fissures, and abscesses. All seven wounds healed within 2 months. Of the other 50 patients, whose wounds were closed to the skin, 48 were discharged with completely healed perineal wounds. Two patients had sterile pelvic hematomas that drained through the perineum and delayed wound healing 1 month and 2 months. There were no postoperative perineal, pelvic, or intraabdominal abscesses. Immediate postoperative ambulation was allowed. There was no increased short-term or long-term incidence of small bowel obstruction related to this procedure, nor did perineal hernia occur after long-term observation (mean: 5.3 years). This method of accomplishing perineal wound healing is simpler, safer, more comfortable, and remarkably effective in eliminating the prolonged morbidity of an unhealed perineal wound. It is superior to any other reported method of managing the perineal wound in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and may be applicable to the treatment of cancer without compromising the chances for cure.