Evaluating the vascularity of intestinal anastomoses--can narrow band imaging play a role?

A variety of factors are critical for the success of bowel anastomoses. The most crucial patient factor is adequate vascularity of the bowel ends which are to be anastomosed. Currently, intraoperative features such as healthy looking bleeding edges of the bowel are considered to be signs of adequate vascular supply. However, once the anastomosis is performed, external appearances may not be reliable. In order to improve evaluation of the bowel as well as the anastomosis, our group has adopted the routine use of post-anastomosis intraoperative colonoscopy. Intraoperative colonoscopy provides vital information regarding the integrity of the anastomosis (leak testing) and also visualizes the mucosa of the bowel. Narrow Band Imaging (NBI) is a novel real-time imaging technique which is an integral component of many modern colonoscopes. We hypothesize that NBI assessment of vascularity at the time of intestinal anastomosis can improve safety and reduce the risks of anastomotic complications following surgery.