The healing of colonic anastomoses after early intraperitoneal chemotherapy: an experimental study in rats.

Early postoperative intraperitoneal administration of 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) is a logical adjuvant treatment of patients with resectable colonic cancers. It is easier and less invasive than the intraportal administration of the drug. However, before applying the procedure to humans it must be demonstrated than it does not disturb the healing of recent colonic anastomoses. Colonic sutures were performed in 78 male Wistar rats. The animals then either served as controls or received intraperitoneal 5-Fu during 5 days starting on the first, third, or seventh postoperative day. No statistical difference was observed between treated and control groups when observing the incidence of anastomotic spontaneous disruptures, anastomotic healing strength, or the weight of the animals. It is concluded that early intraperitoneal 5-Fu administration does not impair the healing of recent colonic anastomoses in rats.