title: Management of the perineal wound after rectal excision for carcinoma.
abstract: Two methods of treating the perineal wound after proctectomy are compared. One hundred and eleven patients had a Miles operation for rectal cancer: in 81 the perineal wound was left open, in 30, primary suture and suction were performed. A significant (p less than 0.001) decrease in the mean (+/- s.d.) duration of the postoperative period was observed after primary suture: 22 +/- 1.7 days, as compared with 44 +/- 2.2 days after healing by second intention. The occurrence of wound infection was similar in the two groups, whereas in 15 per cent of the patients treated without direct closure, a perineal sinus persisted. According to these data, primary closure seems to be very satisfactory in the management of the perineal wound after excision of the rectum.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010502:Perineum / Q000601:surgery*; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000628:therapy; D014945:Wound Healing