INTRODUCTION: The results of @entity5 surgery in a county hospital during an 11-year period from 1991 to 2002 are presented. Complications, local recurrence rate and survival were registered. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred @entity1 operated by one surgeon were included in the study. Twelve were @entity1129 , 36 B, 48 C, and four were D. Low anterior resection was performed in 68 @entity1 (six with @entity2418 ), abdominoperineal resection in 29 and a Hartmann's procedure in three @entity1 . The operation was radical in 80 @entity1 . Until December 31, 1994 a conventional operation was performed in 34 @entity1 . Thereafter total mesorectal excision was introduced with excision of the mesorectum for @entity5 below 10 cm from the anal verge and resection of the mesorectum 5 cm below @entity5 for @entity5 (46 @entity1 ). RESULTS: Thirty days mortality was 4%. The clinical leakage rate after resection was 10% and 6% ended up with a permanent stoma. There were no deaths among @entity1 with leakage. As a consequence of the change in surgical technique from January 1, 1995 the 5-year local recurrence rate declined from 0.32 to 0.11 (p = 0.13) and the overall survival rate exhibited a slightly rising tendency from 0.62 to 0.70 (p = 0.47). DISCUSSION: Operations for @entity5 can be performed in a county hospital with a satisfactory outcome as to complication rates and operative mortality provided the operations are concentrated on few hands. The local recurrence rate and the overall survival showed non-significant tendencies to improvement with the introduction of a more radical operation which is in accordance with results from international trials.

[ XXXX treated at a county hospital. A prospective study of an 11-year period].

@entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumours', 'rectal cancer', 'higher tumours', 'tumour'] @entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity2418 :: ('MESH:D004062', 'Disease') :: ['J-pouch'] @entity1129 :: ('MESH:D001260', 'Disease') :: ["Dukes' type A"]
@entity5 :: (MESH:D009369,Disease) :: ['Rectal cancer']
