• Ka Chun Ng, Wai Lun Law, Yee Man Lee, Hok Kwok Choi, Chi Leung Seto, and Judy W C Ho.
• Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Medical Centre, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
• J. Gastrointest. Surg. 2006 Jun 1; 10 (6): 798-803.

AbstractThis study aimed to compare the outcomes of patients who suffered from obstructing left-sided colorectal cancer, treated with self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) as a bridge to surgery, with those who underwent emergency operation. Twenty patients who had acute obstruction due to left-sided colorectal cancer underwent surgical resection after insertion of SEMS (group I) were matched to 40 patients with emergency colonic resection (group II). The two groups were compared for the incidence of primary anastomosis, stoma rate, hospital stay, duration of intensive care, postoperative morbidity, and mortality. Both groups had similar preoperative comorbidity and stage of disease, but the tumors in group I were more distally located (P < 0.001). In group I, one patient developed colon perforation and required Hartmann's operation. All the other patients underwent elective operation with primary anastomosis. In group II, primary anastomosis was performed in 29 patients (72.5%; P = 0.047). The operative mortality of group I and group II was 5% and 12.5%, respectively (P = 0.653). Significantly shorter median postoperative hospital stay and median stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) were observed in group I (9 days [range, 5-39 days] vs. 12 days [range, 8-49 days], P = 0.015 and 0 day [range, 0-17 days] vs. 0.5 day [range, 0-18 days], P = 0.022, respectively). There were no differences in hospital mortality (P = 0.653) or 30-day mortality (P = 0.653). Both groups had similar reoperation rates, surgical complications, and medical complications. When compared with emergency resection, insertion of SEMS as a bridge to surgery for obstructing left-sided colorectal cancer is associated with a higher rate of primary anastomosis as well as a better outcome in terms of hospital stay and stay in the ICU. The wider application of this treatment option for obstructing colorectal cancer warranted further studies.

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