Surgical management of radiation enteritis

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Surgery; (United States)

OSTI ID:5203708

Galland, R B; Spencer, J

Seventy patients (17 men and 53 women) were seen with radiation-injured gut between 1958 and 1984. The median age at treatment with radiotherapy was 54 years. External radiotherapy was used in all cases, combined with internal treatment for cervical cancer. Ninety-seven gastrointestinal lesions were produced. There were 63 strictures, 14 fistulas, 12 perforations, and eight bleeds. The period between radiotherapy and clinical manifestation of the lesion was approximately 2 years, being longest for strictures. The majority of the lesions were in the rectosigmoid or mid and distal small bowel. Sixty-one patients required one or more operations, and review of the operative results up to 1977 showed a high incidence of anastomotic leak and death after resection and primary anastomosis. However, we noticed that the ascending, transverse, and descending colon were relatively free of radiation-induced disease. Since then we have used a nonirradiated part of the colon for one end of the anastomosis. Thus terminal ileal resection has been followed by an ileotransverse anastomosis and rectosigmoid resection by mobilization of the splenic flexure to bring it down for anastomosis. With these techniques there has been one leak in 14 anastomoses and none of the 12 patients have died. These results are significantly better (p less than 0.02) than our previous figures when 14 of 27 anastomoses leaked, with 10 deaths. We conclude that use of nonirradiated bowel for at least one end of an anastomosis significantly improves the results of resection of irradiated bowel.

• Research Organization: Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London, England
• OSTI ID: 5203708
• Journal Information: Surgery; (United States), Journal Name: Surgery; (United States) Vol. 2; ISSN SURGA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550603 -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Therapy-- (1980-)
560151* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISEASES
DISEASES
ENTERITIS
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
MEDICINE
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
PATIENTS
POST-IRRADIATION THERAPY
RADIOINDUCTION
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
SIDE EFFECTS
SURGERY
THERAPY