[Manual colorectal anastomosis. Immediate results (author's transl)]

Colorectal anastomosis with a single row of interrupted silk sutures was carried out in 105 patients, 37% of whom were older than 70. Eighteen per cent were operated upon for obstruction and/or perforation of the large bowel. Two patients died from disrupted sutures shortly after the operation, giving an overall post-operative mortality rate of 1.9 per cent. Two of the 103 patients who survived developed anastomotic fistulae. The most important measures to decrease mortality and morbidity in colorectal anastomosis are the choice of the appropriate technique in emergency surgery and meticulous performance on the anastomotic sutures.