[Surgery of non-malignant disorders of the cecum]

In a total series of 207 complete or partial cecal resections during the last 6 years, 132 cecal lesions were found. 64 of the lesions were malignant and 68 benign. In the same period 2657 appendicectomies were performed. Histological analysis of the resected nonmalignant cecal lesions (partial cecectomy , ileocecectomy , right hemicolectomy and total colectomy) revealed ulcerative colitis in 25%, Crohn's disease in 20%, inflammatory pseudotumor in 15%, familial polyposis in 11%, benign tumors in 15% and various rare affections in 15%. From the topographical point of view one third of the lesions mainly involved the cecum, one third all of the colon, 20% the ileocecal area and 10% originated from the appendix vermiformis. The fact that the benign cecal lesions are probably as frequent as malignant cecal lesions shows that importance of good preoperative investigations in order to establish optimum surgical tactics and to prevent functional sequelae as a result of too generous resections. Therefore, histological analysis before or during surgery is of prime importance.