A one year audit of the Colorectal Unit at Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre: 2016–2017

Background: Colorectal surgery has developed into an established surgical subspecialty in South Africa, however there is a paucity of data regarding the epidemiology and surgical outcomes of patients with colorectal disease in this country. The objective is to present the findings of a one-year audit of the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC) Colorectal Unit with specific reference to indications, surgical procedures and patient outcomes. Methods: Patient files from December 2016 to November 2017 were included in a retrospective analysis. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyse continuous variables and the Chi-squared test was used to compare categorical variables. Results: During the audit period, 1264 patients were admitted to the Colorectal Unit and a further 564 outpatient endoscopic procedures were performed. There were 306 emergency admissions. 139 elective colorectal resections took place, with a 16% major complication rate, a 12% anastomotic leak rate and no deaths. Rectal resections constituted 66% of the operations and 34% were colonic resections. The median length of stay for all patients undergoing resection was 9 days and there was no statistically significant difference in length of stay between open and laparoscopic cases. Conclusion: The WDGMC Colorectal Unit manages a high volume of patients presenting with the full spectrum of colorectal disease.