Author: Miller AS, Boyce K, Box B, Clarke MD, Duff SE, Foley NM, Guy RJ, Massey LH, Ramsay G, Slade DAJ, Stephenson JA, Tozer PJ, Wright D
Abstract: Aim: There is a requirement for an expansive and up to date review of the management of emergency colorectal conditions seen in adults. The primary objective is to provide detailed evidence -based guidelines for the target audience of general and colorectal surgeons who are responsible for an adult population and who practice in Great Britain and Ireland.
Methods: Surgeons who are elected members of the ACPGBI Emergency Surgery Sub-Committee were invited to contribute various sections to the guidelines. They were directed to produce a pathology-based document using literature searches that were systematic, comprehensible, transparent and reproducible. Levels of evidence were graded. Each author was asked to provide a set of recommendations which were evidence-based and unambiguous. These recommendations were submitted to the whole guideline group and scored. They were then refined and submitted to a second vote. Only those that achieved >80% consensus at level 5 (strongly agree) or level 4 (agree) after 2 votes were included in the guidelines.
Results: All aspects of care (excluding abdominal trauma) for emergency colorectal conditions have been included along with 122 recommendations for management CONCLUSION: These guidelines provide an up to date and evidence-based summary of the current surgical knowledge in the management of emergency colorectal conditions and should serve as practical text for clinicians managing colorectal conditions in the emergency setting.
