The design involves random allocation of eligible patients to full bowel preparation or only mechanical bowel preparation in 1:1 ratio. After that rectal resection is performed in both groups.~Short-term outcomes are assessed in 30 day period after surgery. This is a superiority trial evaluating statistical superiority. Rate of surgical site infection is anticipated to decrease from 12% (data from local registry) to 6%. For power of 80% enrolment of 622 patients is required.~The intent-to-treat principle is used for the data analysis.
The purpose of the study is to determine if short-term outcomes of rectal resections after full bowel preparation (mechanical bowel preparation plus oral antibiotics) are superior to rectal resections with only mechanical bowel preparation.