Hartmann's operation

Hartmann's operation is the surgical resection of the rectosigmoid colon with closure of the rectal stump and colostomy. It was used to treat colon cancer or diverticulitis. These days its use is limited to emergency surgery when immediate anastomosis is not possible, or more rarely it is used palliatively in colorectal tumours. The procedure was first described by Henri Hartmann in 1921. The procedure is described in detail in his book, Chirurgie du Rectum, which was published in 1931 and constituted volume 8 of his Travaux de Chirurgie.