Current management of trauma to the colon

In a review of 72 cases of trauma to the colon we have demonstrated that a 51 per cent primary closure rate can be obtained if the following considerations are used: 1) anatomic location of colon injury, 2) degree of fecal contamination, 3) number of associated organs injured. Considering these factors individually or in combination we were able to perform primary closure in 51 per cent of our patients, without colostomy and without increasing morbidity and mortality. As a result, the number of hospital days and surgical procedures have been reduced.