title: [Impacts of preoperative radiochemotherapy on operation and postoperative complications in patients with mid-low rectal carcinomas].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of preoperative radiochemotherapy on postoperative complications in patients with mid-low rectal carcinomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinicopathologic data of T3 and T4 patients with mid-low rectal carcinomas in the Department of Colorectal Surgery at the Changhai Hospital of The Second Military Medical University from January 2009 to December 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. This cohort included 81 patients treated with preoperative radiochemotherapy followed by operation(radiochemotherapy group) and 93 cases who underwent surgery alone(control group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both resection rate and sphincter preservation rate were higher in the radiochemotherapy group(100% and 86.4%) than those in the control group(94.6% and 73.1%), and the difference in sphincter preservation rate was statistically significant(P=0.039). There were no significant differences in the mean operative time [(130±15) min vs.(125±20) min, P>0.05] and mean amount of bleeding [(100±15) ml vs. (95±10) ml, P>0.05] between the two groups. The overall incidence of postoperative complications was similar(9.9% vs. 9.7%, P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative radiochemotherapy can significantly increase sphincter preservation rate of mid-low rectal carcinomas, and does not increase the difficulty in surgical procedure and postoperative complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery,Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-qi
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Chang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xian-hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Zhi-gui
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Qi-zhi
authors.initials: QZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei-long
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Dou
authors.forename: Xiao-wen
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Chuan-gang
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome