Abdominal resection of rectal cancer]

Preservation of anal sphincters in the surgical treatment of rectal cancer is often controversial as far as an extent of surgery, incidence of complications and an increase in mortality rate in perioperative period are concerned. The study was aimed at results of the retrospective analysis of patients, who undergone abdominal excision of the rectum for malignant tumours. Totally 136 patients were operated. Perioperative mortality rate was 5.14%. Totally 26.4% of patients survived for at least 5 years, including 80% of patients operated in A stage of cancer, according to Duke, and 43.3% of patients with tumour in B stage. An emphasis is on the necessity to leave a 2-centimeter margin of healthy tissues around the tumour, provided, that the result of intraoperative histological examination was negative. Such a margin is sufficient for anastomosis. Low anastomoses do not produce early complications and recurrences.     

Transurethral resection of large prostates.

A total of 102 men (mean age 70) underwent transurethral resection of the prostate. The weight of the resected prostate ranged from 40 to 152 g. Two deaths occurred in patients aged 85 and 92 years, both of whom were generally unfit. The average postoperative stay in hospital was 8.3 days. The proportions of patients with incontinence, infection, and stricture were similar to those in other series of resections and open prostatectomies, suggesting that resection of the larger prostate is safe and an acceptable alternative to an open operation.