Impact of intraoperative colonoscopy on anastomotic leakage detection and prevention in colorectal anastomosis for rectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM

The value of leakage testing during colorectal resections to identify anastomotic leaks or bleeding has not been established. Our aim was to compare the impact of intraoperative colonoscopy (IOC) versus insufflation with a syringe, as leakage testing in lower anterior resection (LAR) for rectal cancer, with respect to the incidence of postoperative leakage (PL).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study utilizing a prospective database of 426 patients with rectal cancer that underwent elective LAR, within the time frame of January 2015 and December 2019, was conducted. The anastomotic leak test was chosen by the surgeon. The incidence of postoperative leakage was compared between patients that underwent IOC and those that had the syringe leak test, utilizing the logistic regression analysis. Propensity score matching was included.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in the clinical characteristics or morbidity and mortality rates between the two groups. Four patients were excluded, leaving a patient total of 422. Seventy patients with IOC were compared with 352 that had the syringe leak test. The incidence of postoperative leakage was 5.7% in the IOC group and 12.2% in the control group (p = 0.001). After propensity score matching (n = 221), balancing the characteristics between the groups, the incidence of postoperative leakage was 5.7% in the IOC group and 13.9% in the syringe leak test group (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

IOC was shown to be a safe method for evaluating the integrity of colorectal anastomosis and was associated with a higher percentage of protective stoma use, appearing to reduce the risk for PL.