Tube cecostomy and staged resection for obstructing carcinoma of the left colon

Over a 17-year period, all patients presenting with acute obstruction of the left colon due to carcinoma were treated by emergency tube cecostomy. There were 57 patients aged between 35 and 93 years. After the decompressive procedure, eight died, 34 had complications, and eight were left with permanent cecostomies. Forty-one underwent secondary procedures of which 35 had resections. Seven patients died postoperatively and 15 had complications. Of the 34 survivors, in 23 the cecostomy closed spontaneously, and 11 had operative cecostomy closure. Of the latter, four died postoperatively, and nine had complications. Thus, 30 survived the entire treatment program. Reasons for the high morbidity and mortality are discussed. Comparison is made with other forms of treatment in the literature. A treatment program is suggested, using tube cecostomy for poor-risk patients and primary resection without anastomosis for patients in better condition.