717 Does high-dose pre-operative radiotherapy alter the strength of colon anastomosis in rats?

Abstract

The purpose was to study the effect of pre-operative radiotherapy on the strength of colon anastomosis, constructed of one irradiated and non-irradiated segment, as well as the difference between a conventional and a hyperfractionated radiation treatment. Groups of 15 animals were treated with conventional (2.0 Gy/day to total doses of 40.0, 60.0 or 80.0 Gy) or hyper-fractionated (1.6 Gy, 2×/day to total doses of 41.6,60.8 or 80.0 Gy) radiotherapy and compared to control and sham treated groups. The strength of the colon anastomosis (constructed the day after ending the radiotherapy) was measured by a bursting experiment. End results were bursting pressure (BP) and bursting wall-tension (BWT). There was no significant difference in BP or BWT between the irradiated animals and the control groups. We conclude that high-dose pre-operative radiotherapy to one end of a colon anastomosis does not affect its anastomotic strength.