No matter what kind of surgery is done, there are surgical risks, and rectal cancer surgery for an eighty year old man is likewise no exception. Surgical risks mainly include two aspects: one is intraoperative risks and the other is postoperative risks. During the operation, since rectal cancer surgery requires general anesthesia for the patient, the patient may show signs such as arrhythmia and low blood pressure during the operation. Elderly people in their eighties have poorer cardiopulmonary function than younger people due to their age, and the probability of unstable respiration and blood pressure during the operation is also higher. Hemorrhagic shock may also occur during surgery due to bleeding. After rectal cancer patients’ operation, some corresponding complications, such as wound bleeding, wound infection, anastomotic fistula and so on, may also occur. And recurrence or even metastasis of lesions may also occur after rectal cancer surgery. All surgeries have risks, so before surgery, please communicate well with the attending physician, understand the pros and cons of the surgery, and make a decision based on the patient’s condition and physical fitness.