Surgery for the treatment of locally recurrent disease.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Total pelvic exenteration is a salvage procedure done in the effort to eliminate completely pelvic cancer. Low colorectal anastomosis and continent urinary diversion are two new procedures that allow complete pelvic evisceration without the need for external appliances. From 1984 through 1994, 67 patients have undergone rectosigmoid colectomy and low-colorectal anastomosis. Sixteen patients underwent surgery as part of a total pelvic exenteration for recurrent cervical cancer, and 51 patients underwent surgery for either primary or recurrent ovarian carcinoma as part of an optimal debulking procedure. Between 1988 and 1995, 55 patients have received continent urinary diversion with the Miami Pouch. Fifty-two patients underwent surgery for recurrent cervical cancer, two patients for advanced vulvar cancer, and one patient for a vesico-vaginal fistula. All of the patients with recurrent cervical cancer had previously received radiation therapy for gynecologic cancer.

RESULTS: Of the 16 patients with recurrent cervical cancer who had a low colorectal anastomosis, 14 had a temporary colostomy. Of these 14 patients, eight had a colostomy takedown and have maintained fecal continence. Of the 51 patients with ovarian cancer who had a low colorectal anastomosis, all achieved fecal continence. With the Miami Pouch, a urinary continence rate of 86% was obtained. Twenty-four (44%) patients had early complications, including ureteral obstruction, ureterocolonic anastomotic leak, reservoir cutaneous fistula, small bowel obstruction, and pyelonephritis. Nineteen (35%) patients had late complications, including ureteral reflux, urinary incontinence, difficult catheterizations, and reservoir stones. There was a perioperative mortality rate of 5%.

CONCLUSIONS: Low-colorectal anastomosis is an attractive alternative to permanent colostomy, allowing all patients who had the protective colostomies taken down to achieve fecal continence. Continent urinary diversion with the Miami Pouch is also a worthwhile procedure because of its high continence rate. Although survival advantage for either procedure has not been proven, the quality of life of patients undergoing such procedures has been substantially improved because of the avoidance of external appliances. This has been achieved with acceptable morbidity and mortality rates.