Anastomotic leakage (AL) is one of the most serious complications after sphincter- preserving surgery for rectal cancer, which can significantly prolong the length of stay of patients, increase perioperative mortality, cause dysfunction, shorten overall survival and recurrence-free survival of patients. In order to reduce the serious consequences caused by AL, prediction of AL through preoperative and intraoperative risk factors are of great importance. However, the influences of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, protective stoma, laparoscopic surgery and some intraoperative manipulations on AL are still controversial. Through the auxiliary judgment of anastomotic blood supply during operation, such as indocyanine green imaging, hemodynamic ultrasound, etc., it is expected to achieve the source control of AL. Early diagnosis of AL can be achieved by attention to clinical manifestations and drainage, examination of peripheral blood, drainage and intestinal flora, identification of high risk factors such as fever, diarrhea and increased infectious indicators, and timely administration of CT with contrast enema.
Humans ; Anastomotic Leak/surgery* ; Rectal Neoplasms/complications* ; Rectum/surgery* ; Risk Factors ; Early Diagnosis

Anastomotic leak is one of inevitable postoperative complications of rectal cancer. With the improvement of surgical techniques, the enhancement of the cognization of rectal cancer, and the development of surgical instruments, surgical procedures of rectal cancer are getting more sophisticated. The anastomosis is performed lower and lower, however the incidence of anastomotic leak is not significantly decreased. In addition, different from intraperitoneal anastomotic leak, the low rectal anastomotic leak after low anterior resection has many special issues in the diagnosis and treatment in clinic. The incidence of peritonitis caused by low anastomotic leak is low, the onset time is late, and symptoms of peritonitis are mild. So most low anastomotic leak is treated conservatively, second surgical repair or resection of anastomotic site is rarely performed, and proximal intestinal diversion is commonly performed. In the prevention of low anastomotic leak, some techniques and precautions during the perioperative period and identification of high risk factors might play important roles. Combined our clinical experiences, we introduced the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and research progression of low anastomotic leak after anterior resection of low rectal cancer, we hope it would be helpful.
Anastomosis, Surgical ; Anastomotic Leak/diagnosis* ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications/diagnosis* ; Proctectomy ; Rectal Neoplasms/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: We assessed the oncologic and anastomotic benefits of low ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) with additional lymph node (LN) retrieval. METHODS: We performed a retrospective case-control study between January 2011 and July 2015. All patients underwent curative resection of a primary sigmoid or rectal tumor. We excluded patients with distant metastases at the time of diagnosis. The case group included patients who underwent high ligation of the IMA (high group, HG). The control group included patients who underwent low ligation of the IMA with low group with additional LN retrieval (LGAL). Controls were identified by matching patients based on age (±5 years), sex, tumor location, and final histopathological stage. Finally, each group included 97 patients. RESULTS: Clinical characteristics did not significantly differ between groups. The mean number of additional harvested LN was 2.19 (range, 0–11), and one patient in the LGAL had a metastatic LN among the additional harvested LN. The overall morbidity was 22.7% in the HG and 30% in the LGAL (P = 0.257). Anastomotic leakage occurred in 14 patients (14.4%) in the HG and 5 patients (5.2%) in the LGAL (P = 0.030). The mean disease-free survival time in the HG was longer than that in the LGAL (P = 0.008). The mean overall survival (OS) time was 70.4 ± 1.3 months. The mean OS was 63.7 ± 1.6 months in the HG and 69.1 ± 2.6 months in the LGAL (P = 0.386). CONCLUSION: Low ligation of the IMA with additional LN retrieval is technically safe. However, the oncologic effect was better after high ligation of IMA.
Anastomotic Leak ; Case-Control Studies ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Diagnosis ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Ligation ; Lymph Nodes ; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Anastomotic leakage (AL) is a type of intra-abdominal infection (IAI) which requires appropriate antibiotics with proper intervention. This study aimed to improve the appropriateness of antibiotic treatment by assessing the patterns of antibiotic treatment and resistance of pathogen profiles in patients who had AL after colorectal cancer surgery.METHODS: From June 2006 through December 2017, the medical records of the patients who had AL after elective abdominal surgery for colorectal cancer in Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul, Korea were reviewed retrospectively. Baseline characteristics and consistence of antibiotics with culture study results were analyzed to evaluate the appropriateness of treatment.RESULTS: Among 982 patients who underwent primary surgery for colorectal cancer, 41 (4.2%) had AL. Mean time of diagnosis of AL from surgery was 6.3 days. The most commonly used prophylactic antibiotics for the primary surgery was 2nd generation cephalosporin (66.6%). Mean duration of prophylactic antibiotics usage was 2.8 days. The most commonly used empirical antibiotics after AL occurred was piperacillin and tazobactam (32.6%). Mean duration of empirical antibiotics usage was 8.2 days. The most commonly identified pathogens were Escherichia coli and Enterococci spp. (26.8% each), and 12.2% of the “ESKAPE” pathogens were identified. Resistance to empirical antibiotics was 45.5% (10/22).CONCLUSION: Penetration of culture study for AL after colorectal cancer surgery appeared relatively low, although the profile of pathogens isolated from the AL patients can give important clues and evidence for appropriate antibiotics use. Surgeons should pay attention in performing culture studies for IAI including AL for proper patient treatment.
Anastomotic Leak ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Diagnosis ; Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Intraabdominal Infections ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Piperacillin ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Surgeons

PURPOSE: We evaluate the role of transanal tube drainage (TD) as a conservative treatment for patients with anastomotic leakage (AL). METHODS: Patients treated for AL who had undergone a low or an ultralow anterior resection with colorectal or coloanal anastomosis for the treatment of rectal cancer between January 2013 and January 2017 were enrolled in this study. The data were collected prospectively and analyzed retrospectively. The primary outcomes were the diagnosis and the management of AL. RESULTS: Two hundred thirteen consecutive patients, 122 males and 91 females, were included. The mean age was 66.91 ± 11.15 years, and the median body mass index was 24 kg/m2 (range, 20–35 kg/m2). The median tumor distance from the anal verge was 8 cm (range, 4–12 cm). Ninety-three patients (44%) received neoadjuvant therapy for nodal disease and/or locally advanced rectal cancer. Only 13 patients (6%) developed AL. Six patients developed subclinical AL as they had a defunctioning ileostomy at the time of the initial procedure. They were treated conservatively with TD under endoscopic guidance in the endoscopy unit and received intravenous antibiotics. Six weeks after discharge, these 6 patients underwent follow-up flexible sigmoidoscopy which showed a completely healed anastomotic defect with no residual stenosis. Seven patients developed a clinically significant AL and required reoperation with pelvic abscess drainage and Hartmann colostomy formation. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that TD for management of patients with AL is safe, cheap, and effective. Salvaging the anastomosis will help decrease the need for Hartmann colostomy formation. Proper patient selection is important.
Abscess ; Anastomotic Leak* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Body Mass Index ; Colostomy ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Drainage* ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ileostomy ; Male ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Patient Selection ; Prospective Studies ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies ; Sigmoidoscopy

The anastomotic complications following radical gastrectomy mainly include anastomotic leakage, anastomotic hemorrhage, and anastomotic stricture. Theanastomotic complications are not rare and remain the most common complications resulting in the perioperativedeath of patients with gastric cancer. Standardized training could let surgeons fully realize that strict selection of operative indications, thorough preoperative assessment and preparation, and refined operation in surgery are the essential measures to prevent the anastomotic complications following radical gastrectomy. In addition, identifying these complications timely and taking effective measures promptly according to the clinical context are the keys to treating these complications, reducing the treatment cycle, and decreasing the mortality.
Anastomosis, Surgical ; adverse effects ; Anastomotic Leak ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Constriction, Pathologic ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Gastrectomy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Preoperative Care ; methods ; standards ; Risk Assessment ; methods ; standards ; Risk Factors ; Stomach Neoplasms ; complications ; mortality ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo explore the risk factors and clinical features of delayed anastomotic fistula (DAF) following sphincter-preserving operation for rectal cancer.

METHODSClinical data of 1 594 patients with rectal cancer undergoing sphincter-preserving operation in our department from January 2008 to May 2015 based on the prospective database of Dpartment of Colorectal Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Sixty patients(3.8%) developed anastomotic fistula. Forty-one patients (2.6%) developed early anastomotic fistula (EAF) within 30 days after surgery while 19(1.2%) were DAF that occurred beyond 30 days. Univariate analyses were performed to compare the clinical features between EAF and DAF group.

RESULTSDAF was diagnosed at a median time of 194(30-327) days after anastomosis. As compared to EAF group, DAF group had lower tumor site [(6.1±2.3) cm vs. (7.8±2.8) cm, P=0.023], lower anastomosis site [(3.6±1.8) cm vs. (4.8±1.6) cm, P=0.008], higher ratio of patients receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (84.2% vs. 34.1%, P=0.000), and receiving preventive stoma (73.7% vs. 14.6%, P=0.000). According to ISREC grading system for anastomotic fistula, DAF patients were grade A and B, while EAF cases were grade B and C(P=0.000). During the first hospital stay for anastomosis, DAF group did not have abdominal pain, general malaise, drainage abnormalities, peritonitis but 8 cases(42.1%) had fever more than 38centi-degree. In EAF group, 29 patients(70.7%) had abdominal pain and general malaise, and 29(70.7%) had drainage abnormalities. General or circumscribed peritonitis were developed in 25(61.0%) EAF patients, and fever occurred in 39(95.1%) EAF cases. There were 13(68.4%) cases with sinus or fistula formation and 9(47.4%) with rectovaginal fistula in DAF group, in contrast to 5 (12.2%) and 5 (12.2%) in EAF group respectively. In DAF group, 5 (26.3%) patients received follow-up due to stoma (no closure), 5 (26.3%) received bedside surgical drainage, while 9(47.4%) patients underwent operation, including diverting stoma in 3 patients, Hartmann procedure in 1 case, intersphincteric resection, coloanal anastomosis plus ileostomy in 1case because of pelvic fibrosis and stenosis of neorectum after radiotherapy, mucosal advancement flap repair with a cellular matrix interposition in 3 rectovaginal fistula cases, incision of sinus via the anus in 1 case. During a median follow-up of 28 months, 14(73.7%) DAF patients were cured.

CONCLUSIONSIt is advisable to be cautious that patients with lower site of tumor and anastomosis, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and preventive stoma are at risk of DAF. DAF is clinically silent and most patients can be cured by effective surgical treatment.

Anal Canal ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; Anastomotic Leak ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Colostomy ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Ileostomy ; Length of Stay ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Organ Sparing Treatments ; Postoperative Complications ; diagnosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Rectovaginal Fistula ; Rectum ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Surgical Flaps ; Surgical Stomas ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of a new mode to diagnose and treat intrathoracic gastroesophageal anastomotic leak.

METHODSFrom January 2007 to December 2014, fifty-five patients were confirmed intrathoracic gastroesophageal anastomotic leak among those were performed surgical operation due to esophageal or cardiac carcinoma in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. To retrospectively analyze the clinical data of these patients, thirty-six male and nineteen female were included with the ages from 49 to 81 years (average age of (67±6)years). Among them, forty-two were middle esophageal carcinoma, eleven were lower esophageal carcinoma and two were cardiac carcinoma. According to the differences of diagnosis and treatment methods for anastomotic leak, fifty-five patients were divided into two groups. Thirty-one patients distributed from January 2007 to November 2011 were received conventional management (conventional group): to definitively diagnose by contrast swallow when suspected to be developing anastomotic leaks, to place an esophageal stent when the drainage was sufficient and the infection was controlled. Twenty-four patients distributed from March 2011 to December 2014 were received new-mode management (new-mode group): to perform a anastomotic radioscopy under digital subtraction angiography -guidance instantly when suspected anastomotic leak and find out the fistula, search the shape and size, place a drainage tube into the fistula to drain or lavage the vomica according to the exploration results, pull back the tube gradually and close the leak by clips under endoscope later. The pathoclinical features, the confirmation time (time from clinical signs emergence to leak confirmation), the hospital duration after confirmation, the incidence of severe complications and total mortality were compared between the two groups by t-test and χ(2) test or Fisher's exact test.

RESULTSThere was no significant statistical differences in pathoclinical features between two groups (P>0.05). The confirmation time was significantly reduced in new-mode group than that in conventional group ((1.2±0.8) d vs. (3.6±2.2) d, t=5.212, P=0.000), and so was the hospital duration after confirmation ((26±12) d vs. (55±25) d, t=4.992, P=0.000) and the incidence of severe complications (16.7% vs. 48.4%, χ(2)=6.019, P=0.014), although there was no statistical differences in total mortality (4.2% vs. 22.6%, P=0.119).

CONCLUSIONThe new mode of early interventional diagnosis, early fistula drainage through nose and clipping under endoscope later is able to shorten diagnosis and treatment period, reduce incidence of severe complications.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; Anastomotic Leak ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Carcinoma ; surgery ; Drainage ; Esophageal Fistula ; surgery ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Esophagectomy ; Female ; Fluoroscopy ; Heart Neoplasms ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents

PURPOSE: Although several studies report risk factors for anastomotic leakage after gastrectomy for gastric cancer, they have yielded conflicting results. The present retrospective cohort study was performed to identify risk factors that are consistently associated with anastomotic leakage after gastrectomy for stomach cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All consecutive patients who underwent gastrectomy at a single gastric surgical unit between May 2003 and December 2012 were identified retrospectively. The associations between anastomotic leakage and 23 variables related to patient history, diagnosis, and surgery were assessed and analyzed with logistic regression. RESULTS: In total, 3,827 patients were included. The rate of anastomotic leakage was 1.88% (72/3,827). Multiple regression analysis showed that male sex (P=0.001), preoperative/intraoperative transfusion (P<0.001), presence of cardiovascular disease (P=0.023), and tumor location (P<0.001) were predictive of anastomotic leakage. Patients with and without leakage did not differ significantly in terms of their 5-year survival: 97.6 vs. 109.5 months (P=0.076). CONCLUSIONS: Male sex, cardiovascular disease, perioperative transfusion, and tumor location in the upper third of the stomach were associated with an increased risk of anastomotic leakage. Although several studies have reported that an anastomotic complication has a negative impact on long-term survival, this association was not observed in the present study.
Anastomotic Leak* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cohort Studies* ; Diagnosis ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Retrospective Studies* ; Risk Factors* ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

OBJECTIVETo investigate the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic islet cell tumors.

METHODSFifty-one patients with islet cell tumors treated in our department from January 1991 to April 2011 were included in this study. The data of clinical features, diagnosis and treatment were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSAmong the 51 cases, 38 cases showed typical Whipple's triad, and the other 13 cases were non-functional islet cell tumors. In these 13 cases, 5 patients had no specific clinical symptoms, and 8 patients had abdominal distending pain. The positive rates of imaging were: B-ultrasound 43.1%, multi-slice spiral CT 69.8%; MRI 62.5%, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) 64.7% (11/17), and intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) 96.3%, the differences among them were statistically significant (P<0.05). All patients underwent surgical treatment. Postoperative pancreatic leakage happened in 6 cases. Finally all the patients recovered after effective external drainage, anti-infection treatment and nutritional support.

CONCLUSIONSIntraoperative ultrasonography (IOUS) has a higher accuracy in the diagnosis of pancreatic islet cell tumors, compared with preoperative B-ultrasonography, CT, MRI, and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). The most effective treatment of this disease is surgery.

Adenoma, Islet Cell ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Adult ; Anastomotic Leak ; etiology ; Endosonography ; Female ; Humans ; Insulinoma ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Pancreatectomy ; adverse effects ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies