A retrospective evaluation of the rectal pull-through technique. Procedure and postoperative complications.

Ten animals (8 dogs and 2 cats) with distal rectal lesions were treated by surgically resecting the affected segment of the rectum by the rectal pull-through technique. There were four malignant tumors, three benign tumors, two inflammatory lesions, and one malignant tumor that extended histologically to the margins of a previous surgical excision. Postoperative complications were tenesmus (7 animals), fecal incontinence (4 animals), rectal bleeding (4 animals), and abscess formation (1 animal). Dehiscence and stricture were not observed. The four animals with malignant tumors survived less than 12 months after surgery. One of the four animals still living has persistent fecal incontinence. The rectal pull-through technique is described and illustrated.