Intra-operative perforation: a risk factor for prognosis of low rectal cancer after abdominoperineal resection

This study was designed to explore the influence of intra-operative perforation on prognosis of low rectal cancer after APR and to investigate the risk factors of perforation. Perforation is not scarce during the procedure of abdominoperineal resection (APR). There is no consensus on perforation rate and related risk factor for APR. Data of 925 patients who received APR for low rectal cancer between January 2000 and August 2008 were reviewed. The intra-operative perforation rate was 7.4 % (68/925). The recurrence rate was 28.6 % in patients with intra-operative perforation compared with 6.8 % in patients with no perforation ( P