ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of suprapubic catheterization(SPC) by using central venous catheter (CVC) on the perioperative complications in middle and low rectal cancer surgery. MethodsThe clinical data of 141 patients with middle and low rectal cancer underwent operation in Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University from April 2012 to January 2015 were collected. There were 65 patients performed SPC by using CVC, 76 patients performed routine transurethral catheterization(TUC). The incidences of bacteriuria and urinary retention, recatheterization rate, duration of catheterization, and catheter-related pain were analyzed and compared between these two groups. Results①Compared with the TUC, the SPC by using CVC could significantly reduce the incidence of bacteriuria(P=0.002), espe-cially in female(P=0.006), ≥60 years old(P=0.001), low rectal cancer(P=0.003), open surgery(P=0.018), Miles(P=0.016), and Dixon(P=0.032).②There was no significant difference in the incidence of urinary retention(P=0.464) between the SPC by using CVC and the TUC.③Compared with the TUC, the SPC by using CVC could significantly reduce the inci-dence of recatheterization rate(P=0.001), especially in the patients with male(P=0.016), ≥60 years old(P=0.008), low rectal cancer(P=0.019), laparoscopic surgery(P=0.013), and Miles(P=0.037).④Compared with the TUC, the point of catheter-related pain was significantly lower in the SPC by using CVC(P=0.001), no matter males(P=0.005) or females(P=0.010), aged 60 years and older(P=0.023) or younger(P=0.034), middle rectal cancer(P=0.017) or low rectal cancer(P=0.046), open surgery(P=0.033) or laparoscopic surgery(P=0.021), Dixon(P=0.019) or Miles(P=0.035).⑤The duration of catheterization was similar between the SPC by using CVC and the TUC(P=0.597). ConclusionSPC by using CVC is a safer, more effective and more acceptable method of bladder drainage in middle and low rectal cancer surgery as compared with routine TUC.