Objective  To compare the short-term clinical efficacy and feasibilities between complete mesocolic excision (CME) and traditional radical resection in emergency surgery for patients with colon cancer.

  Methods  Clinical data for 53 cases of colon cancer treated by emergency surgery between January 2011 and December 2017 in Civil Aviation General Hospital were analyzed. On the basis of the entry time and various operation procedures, the 53 patients were assigned into two groups:the CME group (n=25) that underwent CME in May 2014 or later and the traditional operative group (n=28) that underwent traditional radical resection before May 2014. Distal and proximal colonic and intestinal lavage were performed in all patients. The short-term clinical effects of these different methods were analyzed.

  Results  The number of excised lymph nodes in the CME group and traditional group was 31.7±2.9 and 19.5±4.2, respectively, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The operation time of the two groups was (176.0±42.3) min and (157.5±33.5) min and the blood loss was (148.7±74.0) mL and (128.9±50.0) mL, respectively. The length of hospital stay of the two groups was (27.2±10.4) days and (23.1±6.3) days and the first flatus time was (75.0±3.3) h and (75.3±3.7) h, respectively. The difference between the two groups in these parameters was not statistically significant (P>0.05). In addition, there was no significant differences in pathological staging, postoperative complications, or mortality between the CME group and traditional operative group (P>0.05).

  Conclusions  The short-term clinical efficacy of CME is similar to that of traditional radical cancer surgery with the advantage of more extensive lymph node dissection. CME can be used safely in patients with colon cancer undergoing an emergency operation.