title: [Results and prognostic factors in the Hartmann procedure].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The introduction of one-stage procedures in emergency colonic surgery many years ago has relegated the use of the Hartmann procedure to the most seriously-ill patients, which has led to the high morbidity and mortality rates associated with this surgical technique. The aim of our study was to investigate our results using Hartmanns procedure and to evaluate several prognostic factors of postoperative mortality in this group of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 1995 to December 2000, 79 patients (34 men and 45 women) with a mean age of 71.5 years underwent Hartmanns operation. Almost all the series (91.1%) had comorbidities. In this group of patients, morbidity and mortality were analyzed retrospectively, and a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to study prognostic factors of postoperative mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The indications for surgery were acute peritonitis (77.2%), intestinal obstruction (18.9%), and lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage (3.7%). The most frequent etiology was acute diverticulitis (36 patients), followed by complicated colorectal carcinoma (18 patients). In 70.9% of the patients (56 patients) one or more postoperative complications was observed. Reoperation was performed in 15 patients (18.9%) and overall postoperative mortality was 45.5%. Renal failure (creatinine > or = 120 micromol/l) and high surgical ASA score (III or IV) reached statistical significance as predictive factors of mortality in these patients (p=.001 and p=.005, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patients who underwent Hartmanns procedure with high surgical ASA score and/or renal failure were at significantly higher risk of mortality.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Cirugía Colorrectal, Servicio de Cirugía General y Digestiva, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Parés
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Biondo
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miró
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fraccalvieri
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Julià
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Frago
authors.forename: Amador
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Ruiz
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martí-Ragué
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome