[Surgery for rectum carcinoma in the very aged (author's transl)]

There are no principal restrictions concerning surgery of the large bowel in the very aged. Report on 212 patients more than 75 ys. old, who had to undergo surgery for rectum-carcinoma. Results on morbidity and lethality and considerations about the quality of life in the remaining short time of the old patients life are referred. There is no borderline of age for operations of palliative nor curative intention in large gut surgery of the aged to be accepted. Instead one should follow the simple rules of tumor surgery, where there is an absolute indication for radical surgery if there are no general nor local contraindications on the tumorectomy.