Staged surgical treatment of wounds of the extra-abdominal rectum

   AIM: to improve the algorithm and results of surgical treatment of combat wounds of the rectum.

   PATIENTS AND METHODS: thirty-one patients with combat injuries of the rectum were included in the cohort.

   RESULTS: twenty-seven (87.1 %) patients were discharged in satisfactory condition, 4 (12,9 %) patients died. Sepsis developed in all four patients: in two of them sepsis was on the background of necrotising fasciitis and one had peritonitis. Endoscopic control revealed 10 wounds of the extraperitoneal part of the rectum undiagnosed at the 1^st and 2^nd stages of medical care. Surgical care included all four main components: diverting stoma, distal washout (mechanical cleansing of the rectum to clear water), suturing of the lesion through perineal access, drainage or tamponisation of the presacral space was done in 20 (64.5 %) patients. Endoluminal VAC therapy was used in 12 patients. In 11 of them, VAC treatment was successful with complete healing of rectal wall wounds.

   CONCLUSION: the four-component treatment approach is the optimal option for wounds of the extraperitoneal part of the rectum. Diverting stoma and distal bowel washout prevents severe infection. Endoluminal VAC therapy, in some cases, can be used as an alternative to presacral drainage and suturing of the rectal wall lesion.

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