JUMMEC, 1996;1:29-32.

Abstract

A retrospective cohort study of 206 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer presenting to three general surgeons in the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur over a 3-year period is reported. In all, 184 patients had an operation and are grouped according to whether their operation was within 24 hours of admission (n=16), more than 24 hours after admission (n=38), or elective (n=130). Operative mortalities for these groups were 15.9%,15.2°/o and 6.5%, respectively, significantly higher in both the emergency groups. Delayed surgery to allow complete resuscitation did not improve the operative mortality when compared with those patients having urgent surgery. Both groups of emergency patients, delayed (27%) and urgent (19%), showed poorer 5-year survival than the electively treated patients (36%), many dying of non-cancer causes. Patients who undergo emergency surgery for colorectal carcinoma are more l i k e l y to be in poorer physical condition than the patients undergoing elective surgery for the same condition. It appears that the physical status is the principal determinant of outcome after emergency colorectal surgery rather than any other factor. KEYWORDS: colorectal cancer, emergency, outcome