title: Complications of pelvic exenteration.
abstract: This report is based on a retrospective review of 104 patients who had undergone pelvic exenteration for advanced malignancy over a 29-year period (1956 to 1984, inclusive). Fifty-one patients (49%) developed major complications of the operative field involving the gastrointestinal tract (fistula or obstruction), the urinary tract (fistula, infection, or obstruction), or the wound (abscess, dehiscence/necrosis, or hemorrhage). No association was identified between the complication rate and organ of primary disease, extent of disease, tumor histology, or extent of resection. Patients receiving pelvic radiotherapy prior to exenteration had a much higher complication rate (39/58, 67%) than patients having had no radiotherapy (12/46, 26%). Reconstruction of the irradiated pelvis after exenteration by omental flap, colonic advancement, and/or myocutaneous flaps decreased the complication rate from 82% (27/33) to 48% (12/25). The operative mortality of pelvic exenteration was 2.9% and the actuarial five-year survival rate was 27%.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007412:Intestinal Fistula / Q000209:etiology; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery; D010385:Pelvic Exenteration / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000209:etiology