title: Mechanical bowel preparation versus no preparation before colorectal surgery: A randomized prospective trial in a tertiary care institute.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the first half of 20(th) century; mortality from colorectal surgery often exceeded 20%, mainly due to sepsis. Modern surgical techniques and improved perioperative care have significantly lowered the mortality rate. Mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) is aimed at cleansing the large bowel of fecal content thus reducing morbidity and mortality related to colorectal surgery. We carried out a study aimed to investigate the outcomes of colorectal surgery with and without MBPs, to avoid unpleasant side-effects of MBP and also to design a protocol for preparation of a patient for colorectal surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective study over a period of March 2008-May 2010 carried out at Department of General Surgery of our institution. A total of 63 patients were included in this study; among those 32 patients were operated with MBPs and 31 without it; admitted in in-patient department undergoing resection of left colon and rectum for benign and malignant conditions in both emergency and elective conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anastomotic leakage, intra-abdominal collections was detected clinically and radiologically in 2 and 4 patients in each group respectively. P > 0.5 in both situations, indicating statistically no difference between results of two groups. Wound infections were detected in 12 (37.5%) patients with MBP group and 11 (35.48%) patients without MBP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results suggest that the omission of MBP does not impair healing of colonic anastomosis; neither increases the risk of leakage.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, NRS Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Asis Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Firoz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Amitesh Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Jha
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, NRS Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Sajib
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Anjan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Parvin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Banu
keywords: Anastomotic leakage; colorectal surgery; pre-operative mechanical bowel preparation
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