Total pelvic exenteration: a justified procedure

Twenty patients with advanced primary or locally recurrent pelvic tumours treated by total pelvic exenteration are described. There wer no operative or postoperative deaths. The most frequent postoperative complications appeared to be related to previous irradiation. Four patients developed non-fatal intestinal complications within 30 days of operation that required further surgery. After a mean follow-up of 19 months the crude 2-year survival rate was 40 per cent. This procedure is judged to be useful in a selected group of patients.