Radical surgical approach to radiation injury of the small bowel.
During a period of 12 years, 52 patients without tumor recurrence were treated for chronic radiation injury to the small bowel. Eighteen patients also had concomitant large bowel injuries. Forty-seven patients were treated surgically, 42 of whom presented with obstruction, necrosis, or perforation of the bowel and had emergency operations. Thirty-eight patients underwent wide resection of the injured bowel, and six had bypass procedures. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 6 percent of the patients. The operative morbidity rate was 34 percent, and the mortality rate, 9 percent. Based on this experience, when surgery for small intestinal radiation injury is mandatory, the procedure should be a generous small bowel resection whenever possible, and probably should be performed only by experienced surgeons.
Harling
H
H
Balslev
I
I
D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*