Mortality, morbidity and survival after colectomy for colon cancer

Between 1971 and 1980, 346 patients had a carcinoma of the colon resected. Seventy-seven patients had an urgent operation with a hospital mortality of 13.3%; 269 patients had an elective operation with a mortality of 3.8%. Three patients died as a result of anastomotic leakage. Other complications were thromboembolism (2%) and wound infection (14.5%). The overall median survival was 28.4 months and 57 months following curative resection. The clinicopathological staging system used identified 28% of patients as incurable at the time of resection.