Evaluating patients undergoing colorectal surgery to estimate and minimize morbidity and mortality.

This review discusses the preoperative evaluation of patients preparing for elective colorectal resection, touching on several specific categories of morbidity, including cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic, renal, and surgical site complications. For each of these, the evidence for practices that optimize patient function and minimize risk is reviewed. Finally, authors discuss how to counsel high-risk surgical patients, including those for whom elective surgery is not recommended.