Anastomotic Leak Rate Research Articles

Laparoscopic Ureteric Reconstruction After Partial Ureterectomy for Locally Advanced and Recurrent Pelvic Malignancies (with Video).

The urinary tract is one of the most frequently involved organs in advanced non-urologic pelvic malignances. Extensive resection of ureteric organs is mandatory during a curative surgery. Urinary reconstruction after partial ureterectomy, the most challenging situation, is associated with a higher incidence of complication than cystectomy, especially when performed with laparoscopy. Furthermore, to date, no generally accepted strategy for urinary reconstruction after extensive tumor resection with partial ureterectomy has been established. The study identified and scrutinized intraoperative videos and clinical records of patients with locally advanced or recurrent pelvic malignancies who underwent segmental ureterectomy during en bloc resection of advanced tumors between February 2020 and February 2024. The study enrolled nine patients, including four cases managed by ureteroureteral anastomosis, two cases managed by ureteroneocystomy, two cases managed by Boari flap reconstruction, and one case managed by ileal interposition. In all nine cases, R0 margins were obtained, and no case needed conversion to laparotomy. No clinical evidence of postoperative urinary leakage was identified. The median follow-up period was 14months (range, 5-19months). In three of the nine cases, recurrence was identified, at the 3rd, 18th, and 19th month follow-up evaluations, respectively. One patient died of systemic metastasis. Laparoscopic ureteric reconstruction is feasible for patients who undergo segmental ureterectomy during extensive surgery for locally advanced or recurrent pelvic malignancies. A low anastomotic leakage rate and favorable postoperative renal function could be achieved in this study when anastomosis was performed laparoscopically.

Safe Transition from Open to Total Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy for Cancer Utilizing Process Management Methodology.

Background: The global shift from open esophagectomy (OE) to minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) for treating esophageal cancer is well-established. Recent data indicate that transitioning from hybrid minimally invasive esophagectomy (hMIE) to total minimally invasive esophagectomy (tMIE) can be challenging due to concerns about higher leakage rates and lower lymph node counts, especially at the beginning of the learning curve. This study aimed to demonstrate that a safe transition from OE to tMIE for cancer is possible using process management methodology. Methods: A step-change approach was adopted in process management planning, with hMIE serving as an intermediate step between OE and tMIE. This single-center, case-control study included 150 patients who underwent the Ivor Lewis procedure with curative intent for esophageal cancer. Among these patients, 50 underwent OE, 50 hMIE (laparoscopic procedure followed by conventional right thoracotomy), and 50 tMIE (laparoscopic and thoracoscopic approach). A preceptored training scheme was implemented during execution, and treatment results were monitored and controlled to ensure a safe transition. Results: During the transition, the tMIE group was not worse than the hMIE and OE groups regarding operation duration (p = 0.135), overall postoperative complications (p = 0.020), anastomotic leakage rates (p = 0.773), 30-day mortality (p = 1.0), and oncological outcomes (based on R status (p = 0.628) and 2-year survival (p = 0.967)). Additionally, the tMIE group showed superior results in terms of major postoperative pulmonary complications (p = 0.004) and ICU stay duration (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Utilizing managerial methodology and practice in surgery, as a bridge between interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches, demonstrated that transitioning from OE to tMIE, with hMIE as an intermediate step, is safe and feasible without compromising outcomes.

Study of the therapeutic strategy to improve survival outcomes from the perspective of perioperative conditions in elderly gastric cancer patients: a propensity score-matched analysis

BackgroundElderly gastric cancer patients (EGCPs) require treatment according to not just the stage of their cancer, but also to their general condition and organ function, and rather than full treatment, the appropriate amount of treatment is necessary.MethodsA total of 425 patients who underwent gastrectomy for primary gastric cancer in our institution between April 2013 and March 2020 were classified by age into two groups: elderly patients (EP, age ≥ 80 years, n = 89); and younger patients (YP, age < 80 years, n = 336). The preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative conditions of the two groups were then compared. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed, and factors affecting complications and survival outcomes were examined in detail. In addition, the necessary treatment strategy for EGCPs in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods was investigated.ResultsOf the preoperative factors, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (ASA-PS) was significantly higher, and respiratory function was significantly lower in the EP group than in the YP group, and the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) also tended to be lower. Of the intraoperative factors, there was no difference in the level of lymph node dissection. However, the EP group had significantly higher rates of postoperative pneumonia and anastomotic leakage. Of the postoperative factors, on simple comparison, postoperative long-term outcomes of the EP group were significantly worse (63.8% vs. 85.4%, p < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in disease-specific survival (DSS), and the DSS survival curves after PSM were almost identical, indicating that the survival rate in the EP group was decreased by death from other disease. Though the survival rate of laparoscopic surgery was significantly better than that of open surgery in the YP group, there was a significantly lower rate of postoperative complications in the EP group after PSM.ConclusionsIn EGCPs, one needs to be aware of short-term complications such as pneumonia and anastomotic leakage due to respiratory dysfunction and malnutrition that are present before surgery. Furthermore, to suppress deaths from other diseases that reduce postoperative survival rates, prevention of postoperative complications (particularly pneumonia) through minimally invasive surgery can be effective.

Anastomotic leak rate following the implementation of a powered circular stapler in elective colorectal surgeries: a retrospective cohort study.

The objective of this study was to compare the anastomotic leak rates between powered and manual circular staplers in elective left-sided colorectal resections. A retrospective cohort study of elective left-sided colorectal resections before and after implementation of a powered circular stapler at a tertiary care center was conducted. The manual stapler group consisted of consecutive resections performed between January 2016 to December 2016 and the powered stapler group, between September 2021 and December 2022. Primary outcome was 30-day anastomotic leak rate. A chi-squared analysis was performed to compare anastomotic leak rates. Factors associated with anastomotic leak were examined. Two-hundred forty-seven patients were included: 154 in the manual stapler group and 93 in the powered stapler group. Mean (SD) age was 60 (15) years old, 37.7% were female and 72.9% of resections were performed for malignancy. Both groups had similar patient characteristics and surgical technique. Overall leak rate was 2.0% in the manual stapler group and 10.8% in the powered stapler group. The powered staplers were found to have 6.06 times the odds of leak compared to manual staplers (95% CI, 1.62-22.65; p = 0.01). None of the other factors were found to be associated with anastomotic leak. Patients who had left-sided colorectal anastomosis had higher anastomotic leak rates with powered compared to manual circular staplers. This finding is contrary to previous retrospective studies that found lower leak rates with powered staplers.

Unraveling the role of computed tomography derived body composition metrics on anastomotic leakages rates in rectal cancer surgery: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Anastomotic leakage is a major concern following total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer, affecting oncological outcomes, morbidity an treatment costs. Body composition has been suggested to influence anastomotic leakage rates. However, literature on how body composition impact anastomotic leakage rates is conflicting. This systematic review aims to evaluate the role of computed tomography derived body composition metrics on anastomotic leakage rates in rectal cancer patients. Databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, web of science, and EMBASE, will be systematically searched for papers from January 2010 onwards. Study selection, data collection and quality assessment will be independently performed by three research fellows. Outcomes described in three or more studies will be included in the meta-analysis. The Q-test and I2 statistic will be used to assess statistical heterogeneity between studies. Publication bias will be examined by visual inspection of funnel plots and quantified by Egger's test. Sensitivity analyses will be conducted to examine the robustness of the meta-analysis. Reporting of the findings will be in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. This systematic review will synthesize the current evidence and will identify knowledge gaps. Results of the systematic review will aid health care professional in pre-operative decision making and will be distributed through a peer-reviewed publication and presentation of results at international meetings. PROSPERO protocol number: CRD42023471537.

Robotic-Assisted and Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgeries Still Have Clinically Comparable Outcomes

PurposeBariatric surgery is considered the main treatment option for patients with severe obesity. The objective of our study is to compare intra- and postoperative outcomes between the robotic and laparoscopic approaches within the sleeve gastrectomy (SG), duodenal switch (DS), and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).Materials and MethodsThe data from the MBSAQIP were collected for patients who underwent SG, DS, and RYGB between 2015 and 2021. The postoperative and procedural outcomes including 30-day morbidity and mortality as well as operation length were analyzed using regression models.ResultsOur analysis included 1,178,886 surgeries with SG comprising the majority (70%) followed by RYGB (28%) and DS (1%). Other than a higher adjusted risk of unplanned reoperation for robotic RYGB (relative risk (RR) 1.07) and a statistically significant higher rate of postoperative wound disruption in robotic SG for robotic surgery (RR 1.56), there were no statistically significant between-approach differences including infection, wound disruption, death, or reoperation for DS, RYGB, or SG. Our data showed no significant difference in anastomotic leak rate between laparoscopic and robotic approaches in either the DS (p = 0.521) or RYGB (p = 0.800) procedures. Across our study period, the median operation lengths decreased significantly per year for both the robotic SG and DS.ConclusionsRobotic and laparoscopic bariatric surgical procedures have statistically similar 30-day patient outcomes. Robotic bariatric procedures do have significantly longer median operative times than laparoscopic procedures. The decision to use a robotic approach or laparoscopic approach should be made based upon surgeon experience and possibly cost.Graphical

Endoscopic vacuum therapy (eVAC) combined with continuous perianastomotic irrigation for prevention of anastomotic leak after surgical ampullectomy

PurposeTransduodenal surgical ampullectomy (tAMP) with papillary reimplantation is a valid alternative to pancreaticoduodenectomy for lesions of the periampullary region not amenable to endoscopic resection. As tAMP is burdened by high rates of biliopancreatic-enteric anastomotic leak, we tested preventive endoluminal vacuum therapy (eVAC) combined with post-operative continuous perianastomotic irrigation (CPI) to reduce such anastomotic leak.MethodsBetween 10/2013 and 09/2023, 37 patients undergoing laparotomic tAMP (with or without jejunal transposition) and papillary reimplantation at Hirslanden Klinik Zurich were retrospectively analysed; of these, 16 received prophylactic eVAC combined with CPI, while the remaining represented the historical cohort.ResultsThe eVAC-CPI-group and the historical-cohort were homogeneous in demographic characteristics. Surgery in the prophylactic eVAC-CPI-group lasted about 30 min longer due to eVAC application (p = 0.008). The biliopancreatico-enteric anastomotic leak rates were 6.2% in the eVAC-CIP-group vs. 19.0% in the historical-cohort (p = 0.266). Along, a strong trend of less severe post-operative complications in general (p = 0.073), and borderline-significantly less cases of acute pancreatitis (p = 0.057) and tAMP-related re-operations or re-interventions (p = 0.057) in particular, were observed in the eVAC-CPI-group. The only anastomotic leak in the eVAC-CPI-group was successfully managed through repeated cycles of eVAC. The device was well tolerated by all patients; no vacuum/irrigation-related complications or malfunctioning occurred.ConclusionOur study is the first to provide some technical insights demonstrating the safety and feasibility of a prophylactic approach with eVAC and perianastomotic irrigation to reduce anastomotic leak after tAMP. Increasing the number of subjects will confirm the benefit of our promising results.

Implementing a no-drain policy for extraperitoneal colorectal anastomosis in a real-life setting: analysis of outcomes and surgeons’ adherence

AimRecent evidence has questioned the usefulness of anastomotic drain (AD) after low anterior resection (LAR). However, the implementation and adoption of a no-drain policy are still poor. This study aims to assess the clinical outcomes of the implementation of a no-drain policy for rectal cancer surgery into a real-life setting and the adherence of the surgeons to such policy.MethodA retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent elective minimally invasive LAR between January 2015 and December 2019 at two tertiary referral centers. In 2017, both centers implemented a policy aimed at reducing the use of AD. Patients were retrospectively categorized into two groups: the drain policy (DP) group, comprising patients treated before 2017, and the no-drain policy (NDP) group, consisting of patients treated from 2017 onwards. The endpoints were the rate of anastomotic leak (AL) and of related interventions.ResultsAmong the 272 patients included, 188 (69.1%) were in the NDP group, and 84 (30.9%) were in the DP group. Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups. AL rate was 11.2% in the NDP group compared to 10.7% in the DP group (p = 1.000), and the AL grade distribution (grade A, 19.1% (4/21) vs 28.6% (2/9); grade B, 28.6% (6/21) vs 11.1% (1/9); grade C, 52.4% (11/21) vs 66.7% (6/9), p = 0.759) did not significantly differ between the groups. All patients with symptomatic AL and AD underwent surgical treatment for the leak, while those with symptomatic AL in the NPD group were managed with surgery (66.7%), endoscopic (19.0%), or percutaneous (14.3%) interventions. Postoperative outcomes were similar between the groups. Three years after implementing the no-drain policy, AD was utilized in only 16.5% of cases, compared to 76.2% at the study’s outset.ConclusionThe introduction of a no-drain policy received a good adoption rate and did not affect negatively the surgical outcomes.

Incidence of anastomotic leakage using powered circular staplers versus manual circular staplers for left colorectal anastomosis: a cost-effectiveness analysis

BackgroundColorectal anastomotic leakage causes severe consequences for patients and healthcare system as it will lead to increased consumption of hospital resources and costs. Technological improvements in anastomotic devices could reduce the incidence of leakage and its economic impact. The aim of the present study was to assess if the use of a new powered circular stapler is cost-effective.MethodThis observational study included patients undergoing left-sided circular stapled colorectal anastomosis between January 2018 and December 2021. Propensity score matching was carried out to create two comparable groups depending on whether the anastomosis was performed using a manual or powered circular device. The rate of anastomotic leakage, its severity, the consumption of hospital resources, and its cost were the main outcome measures. A cost-effectiveness analysis comparing the powered circular stapler versus manual circular staplers was performed.ResultsA total of 330 patients were included in the study, 165 in each group. Anastomotic leakage rates were significantly different (p = 0.012): 22 patients (13.3%) in the manual group versus 8 patients (4.8%) in the powered group. The effectiveness of the powered stapler and manual stapler was 98.27% and 93.69%, respectively. The average cost per patient in the powered group was €6238.38, compared with €9700.12 in the manual group. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was − €74,915.28 per patient without anastomotic complications.ConclusionThe incremental cost of powered circular stapler compared with manual devices was offset by the savings from lowered incidence and cost of management of anastomotic leaks.

Robotic Colorectal Surgery: Analysis of the First Three Years of Activity in a Hospital of the Portuguese National Health Service

Minimally invasive surgery has been increasingly accepted and used in colorectal surgery. Several studies report that robotic surgery may provide advantages over 'conventional' laparoscopy, namely in rectal surgery. This paper provides an account of the first three years of experience with robotic surgery in the Unidade de Patologia Colorretal of the Unidade Local de Saúde S. José. Variables were defined to develop a prospective database containing the data of consecutive patients operated by three internationally certified colorectal surgeons using the Da Vinci Xi® system between November 2019 and October 2022. The database was converted into an anonymized version that was used for this study. The analysis was performed on the data of all the patients operated during this period. Eighty patients were included, 47 male, median age 70 years, and median BMI 26 kg/m2 . ASA score was II in 53.7% and III in 41.3% of pa- tients. Of the total, 97.6% had malignant or potentially malignant disease. Operative procedures consisted of 34 colectomies proximal to the splenic flexure, 20 distal colectomies and 26 anterior resections. There were two synchronous resections of liver metastases. Early perioperative outcomes and histopathological results were analyzed: median operative time: 300 minutes; median estimated blood loss: 50 mL; conversion rate: 2.5%; median days until first bowel movement: three days; median length of hospital stay: six days; complication rate: 20%, of which 5% were Clavien III and 0% Clavien IV/V; anastomotic leak rate: 2.5%; 30-day readmission rate: 1.3%; median lymph nodes resected: 20; R0 resection rate: 100%; mesorectal integrity rate: 95,8% complete/near complete. Our results show that the adoption of robotic colorectal surgery in our center was safe and resulted in similar or improved short-term clinical outcomes and histopathological results when compared to those described in the literature.

Efficacy of laparoscopic low anterior resection for colorectal cancer patients with 3D-vascular reconstruction for left coronary artery preservation.

Laparoscopic low anterior resection (LLAR) has become a mainstream surgical method for the treatment of colorectal cancer, which has shown many advantages in the aspects of surgical trauma and postoperative rehabilitation. However, the effect of surgery on patients' left coronary artery and its vascular reconstruction have not been deeply discussed. With the development of medical imaging technology, 3D vascular reconstruction has become an effective means to evaluate the curative effect of surgery. To investigate the clinical value of preoperative 3D vascular reconstruction in LLAR of rectal cancer with the left colic artery (LCA) preserved. A retrospective cohort study was performed to analyze the clinical data of 146 patients who underwent LLAR for rectal cancer with LCA preservation from January to December 2023 in our hospital. All patients underwent LLAR of rectal cancer with the LCA preserved, and the intraoperative and postoperative data were complete. The patients were divided into a reconstruction group (72 patients) and a nonreconstruction group (74 patients) according to whether 3D vascular reconstruction was performed before surgery. The clinical features, operation conditions, complications, pathological results and postoperative recovery of the two groups were collected and compared. A total of 146 patients with rectal cancer were included in the study, including 72 patients in the reconstruction group and 74 patients in the nonreconstruction group. There were 47 males and 25 females in the reconstruction group, aged (59.75 ± 6.2) years, with a body mass index (BMI) (24.1 ± 2.2) kg/m2, and 51 males and 23 females in the nonreconstruction group, aged (58.77 ± 6.1) years, with a BMI (23.6 ± 2.7) kg/m2. There was no significant difference in the baseline data between the two groups (P > 0.05). In the submesenteric artery reconstruction group, 35 patients were type I, 25 patients were type II, 11 patients were type III, and 1 patient was type IV. There were 37 type I patients, 24 type II patients, 12 type III patients, and 1 type IV patient in the nonreconstruction group. There was no significant difference in arterial typing between the two groups (P > 0.05). The operation time of the reconstruction group was 162.2 ± 10.8 min, and that of the nonreconstruction group was 197.9 ± 19.1 min. Compared with that of the reconstruction group, the operation time of the two groups was shorter, and the difference was statistically significant (t = 13.840, P < 0.05). The amount of intraoperative blood loss was 30.4 ± 20.0 mL in the reconstruction group and 61.2 ± 26.4 mL in the nonreconstruction group. The amount of blood loss in the reconstruction group was less than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (t = -7.930, P < 0.05). The rates of anastomotic leakage (1.4% vs 1.4%, P = 0.984), anastomotic hemorrhage (2.8% vs 4.1%, P = 0.672), and postoperative hospital stay (6.8 ± 0.7 d vs 7.0 ± 0.7 d, P = 0.141) were not significantly different between the two groups. Preoperative 3D vascular reconstruction technology can shorten the operation time and reduce the amount of intraoperative blood loss. Preoperative 3D vascular reconstruction is recommended to provide an intraoperative reference for laparoscopic low anterior resection with LCA preservation.

Association Between Cross-Stapling Technique In Mechanical Colorectal Anastomosis and Short-term Outcomes.

The double-stapled technique is the most common method of colorectal anastomosis in minimally invasive surgery. Several modifications to the conventional technique have been described aiming to reduce the intersection between the stapled lines, as the resulting lateral dog-ears are considered as possible risk factors for anastomotic leakage. The purpose of this study was to analyze the outcomes of patients receiving conventional versus modified stapled colorectal anastomosis following minimally invasive surgery. A systematic review was undertaken of the published literature. PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases were screened up to July 2023. Relevant articles were searched according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Articles reporting on the outcomes of patients with modified stapled colorectal reconstruction as compared to the conventional method of double-stapled anastomosis were included. Conventional double-stapling colorectal anastomosis and modified techniques with reduced intersection between the stapled lines were compared. The rate of anastomotic leak was the primary endpoint of interest. Perioperative details including postoperative morbidity were also appraised. There were 2537 patients from 12 studies included for data extraction, with no significant differences on age, body mass index and proportion of high American Society of Anesthesiologists Score between patients who had conventional versus modified techniques of reconstructions. The risk of anastomotic leak was 62% lower for the modified procedure compared to the conventional procedure (odds ratio = 0.38 [95% CI: 0.26, 0.56]. The incidences of overall postoperative morbidity (odds ratio = 0.57 [95% CI: 0.45, 0.73] and major morbidity (odds ratio = 0.48 [95% CI: 0.32, 0.72] following were significantly lower than following conventional double-stapled anastomosis. The retrospective nature of most included studies is a main limitation, essentially due to the lack of randomization, and the risk of selection and detection bias. The available evidence supports the modification of the conventional double-stapled technique with elimination of one of both dog-ears as it is associated with lower incidence of anastomotic-related morbidity.

A Comparative Study of Postoperative Complications Associated with Distal Gastrectomy and Pylorus-Preserving Gastrectomy among Gastric Cancer Patients Based on Nationwide Survey Data and Propensity Score Weighting.

This study aimed to compare complication rates between pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) and distal gastrectomy (DG) using Korean nationwide survey data and propensity score weighting (PSW). PPG preserves gastric function but may lead to more postoperative complications than DG. We analyzed 9424 gastric cancer patients who underwent either DG (n = 9183) or PPG (n = 241). PSW balanced variables such as age, sex, TNM stage, comorbidities, ASA score, and surgical approach. Before PSW, 87.8% of DG patients and 87.1% of PPG patients had no complications (p = 0.053). Severe complications (Clavien-Dindo IIIa or higher) were more frequent in PPG (6.6%) than in DG (3.8%) (p = 0.039). After PSW, overall complication rates (p = 0.960) and severe complication rates (p = 0.574) were similar between groups. Incidence rates of anastomotic stricture and leakage were higher in PPG (2.9% and 1.7%) compared to DG (0.6% and 0.5%) (p = 0.001 and 0.036) before PSW, but these differences were not significant after PSW (p = 0.999 and 0.123). The PSW-adjusted analysis indicates no significant difference in overall and severe complication rates between PPG and DG in gastric cancer patients.

Effect of fluorescent imaging using indocyanine green on surgical morbidity during minimally invasive surgery for esophageal cancer (IndoCinMIE).

e16115 Background: Anastomotic leak following Esophagectomy is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. A major determinant of anastomotic success is good vascular perfusion of the gastric conduit. Indocyanine Green fluorescence angiography (ICG-FA) provides real-time intraoperative evaluation of the vascular perfusion of the gastric conduit but its efficacy in reducing in anastomotic failure has not been proven so far in a prospective randomized trial. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of ICG during minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) in reducing the rates of anastomotic failure. Methods: It is a single centre Phase-II RCT with an allocation ratio of 1:1 with accrual beginning from September 2023 with planned sample size of 15 patients in each arm. All consenting patients above 18 years with histologically proven esophageal cancer (treatment naïve/neoadjuvant therapy) fit to undergo a major surgery were included. The patients were randomized into the ICG arm and Non-ICG arm. The anastomotic leak rates (studied at POD 7 with an oral contrast study and POD 30), in both arms was the primary endpoint. The utility of ICG in deciding the site of esophago-gastric anastomosis for the patients in the ICG arm was compared to the patients in the control arm where site of anastomosis was decided based on the surgeon’s subjective assessment of the most appropriate site for the same. The role of ICG-FA in bringing about a change of anastomotic site against the surgeon’s subjective assessment was noted in the test arm as one of the secondary end points. A near-infrared camera system was be used for detecting the ICG fluorescence. Evaluation with fluorescence was performed in real-time. Approximately 20 seconds after IV ICG injection, blood flow was confirmed by ICG-FA as it passed through the right gastroepiploic vessels. If vascular perfusion via ICG-FA was well visualized within 60 s, it was defined as a good perfusion zone, while no vascular perfusion or perfusion times &gt; 60 s would indicate a poor perfusion zone. The anastomotic perfusion result using ICG-FA was evaluated by the surgical team and the anastomosis was performed within the good perfusion zone. Results: A total of 30 patients were accrued for the trial, 15 in each arm. Overall, 3 out of 30 patients had an anastomotic leak (10%), all of which were from the Non-ICG arm (20%). There were no leaks noted in the ICG arm. The rate of anastomotic leak within the non-ICG arm was significantly higher than the ICG arm (p = 0.0726). Within the ICG arm, the use of ICG-FA led to a revision in the site of anastomosis in 6 of the 15 patients (40%). Conclusions: The use of ICG-FA has the potential to reduce anastomotic leaks and improve outcomes in MIE while also allowing for enhanced discretion in choosing the optimal site of anastomosis. Its feasibility concludes phase II of the trial and will begin accrual for Phase III. Clinical trial information: CTRI/2023/09/058118 .

Clinical value of nano-carbon lymphatic tracer for regional lymph node dissections of rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

Regional lymph node (LN) volume decreases after neoadjuvant therapy, requiring a tracer for more accurate detection. Nano-carbon tracer is a third-generation tracer with several advantages, but its use for LN detection after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for middle and low rectal cancer remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the effects and safety of anoscope-guided subrectal injections of nano-carbon suspension in this patient population. This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 45 patients with middle and low rectal cancer admitted to our institution from March 2019 to March 2022. All patients received preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy and were divided into nano-carbon injection (n=23; anoscope-guided injections of nano-carbon suspension in the rectal submucosa 2cm above the dentate line 24h preoperatively) and control (n=22; directly underwent surgery) groups. The LN detection and complication rates were compared between the groups. The total and mean numbers of LNs and small LNs and the number of patients with>12 LNs were significantly higher in the nano-carbon injection group than in the control group. The total number of positive LNs and LN metastasis did not differ between the groups, nor did the anastomotic leakage, bleeding, stenosis, and abscess occurrence rates. Anoscope-guided nano-carbon lymphatic tracing increased the LN detection rate, caused less trauma, and resulted in fewer postoperative complications than the direct surgical procedure. Thus, it is an effective, safe, and practical method that may improve dissections and the postoperative pathological staging accuracy.

Knockout Genes in Bowel Anastomoses: A Systematic Review of Literature Outcomes.

The intestinal wound healing process is a complex event of three overlapping phases: exudative, proliferative, and remodeling. Although some mechanisms have been extensively described, the intestinal healing process is still not fully understood. There are some similarities but also some differences compared to other tissues. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize all studies with knockout (KO) experimental models in bowel anastomoses, underline any recent knowledge, and clarify further the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the intestinal healing process. A systematic review protocol was performed. Medline, EMBASE, and Scopus were comprehensively searched. a total of eight studies were included. The silenced genes included interleukin-10, the four-and-one-half LIM domain-containing protein 2 (FHL2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), annexin A1 (ANXA-1), thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF) gene. Surgically, an end-to-end bowel anastomosis was performed in the majority of the studies. Increased inflammatory cell infiltration in the anastomotic site was found in IL-10-, annexin-A1-, and TAFI-deficient mice compared to controls. COX-1 deficiency showed decreased angiogenesis at the anastomotic site. Administration of prostaglandin E2 in COX-2-deficient mice partially improved anastomotic leak rates, while treatment of ANXA1 KO mice with Ac2-26 nanoparticles reduced colitis activity and increased weight recovery following surgery. our findings provide new insights into improving intestinal wound healing by amplifying the aforementioned genes using appropriate gene therapies. Further research is required to clarify further the cellular and micromolecular mechanisms of intestinal healing.

Intraoperative left-sided colorectal anastomotic testing in clinical practice: a multi-treatment machine-learning analysis of the iCral3 prospective cohort.

Current evidence about intraoperative anastomotic testing after left-sided colorectal resections is still controversial. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of Indocyanine Green fluorescent angiography (ICG-FA) and air-leak test (ALT) over standard assessment on anastomotic leakage (AL) rates according to surgeon's perception of anastomosis perfusion and/or integrity in clinical practice. A database of 2061 patients who underwent left-sided colorectal resections was selected from patients enrolled in a prospective multicenter study. It was retrospectively analyzed through a multi-treatment machine-learning model considering standard visual assessment (NW; No. = 899; 43.6%) as the reference treatment arm, compared to ICG-FA alone (WP; No. = 409; 19.8%), ALT alone (WI; No. = 420; 20.4%) or both (WPI; No. = 333; 16.2%). Twenty-four covariates potentially affecting the outcomes were included and balanced into the model within the subgroups. The primary endpoint was AL, the secondary endpoints were overall morbidity (OM), major morbidity (MM), reoperation for AL, and mortality. All the results were reported as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). The WPI subgroup showed significantly higher AL risk (OR 1.91; 95% CI 1.02-3.59; p 0.043), MM risk (OR 2.35; 95% CI 1.39-3.97; p 0.001), and reoperation for AL risk (OR 2.44; 95% CI 1.12-5.31; p 0.025). No other significant differences were recorded. This study showed that the surgeons' perception of both anastomotic perfusion and integrity (WPI subgroup) was associated to a significantly higher risk of AL and related morbidity, notwithstanding the extensive use of both ICG-FA and ALT testing.

Reconstruction Techniques and Associated Morbidity after Minimally Invasive Gastrectomy for Cancer – Insights from the GastroBenchmark and GASTRODATA databases

Abstract Background Various anastomotic and reconstruction techniques are used to restore intestinal continuity after minimally invasive total (TG) and subtotal distal gastrectomy (DG). Aims Their effects on anastomotic leakage and postoperative morbidity have not been extensively studied. Methods Patients after minimally invasive TG and DG were selected from a cohort of 9356 oncological gastrectomies performed between 2017-2021 in 44 specialized centers. Results Three anastomotic techniques (circular stapled (CS, 3.7%); linear stapled (LS, 93.8%); hand sewn (HS, 2.5%)) and three types of bowel reconstruction (Roux (RX, 51.5%); Billroth I (BI, 23.1%); Billroth II (BII, 25.4%)) were identified after TG (n=878) and DG (n=3334). Postoperative morbidity was higher after TG compared to DG (AL 5.2% vs. 1.1%, p≤0.001; 90-day mortality 1.6% vs. 0.4%, p≤0.001; overall morbidity 28.6% vs. 16.3%, p≤0.001; major morbidity 15.4% vs. 8.0%, p≤0.001). Anastomotic leakage rate in the TG cohort was higher after CS (13.1%) and HS (7.9%) than after LS anastomoses (1.9%, p&amp;lt;0.001). Similarly, overall (CS: 43.9%, HS: 28.6%, LS: 23.1%) and major complications rates (CS: 25.2%, HS: 11.1%, LS: 12.0%) as well as mortality (CS: 4.7%, HS: 2.2%, LS: 0.8%) were higher after CS. Multivariate analysis confirmed anastomotic technique as a predictive factor for anastomotic leakage (Fig. 1), but not for occurrence of mortality, overall and major complications. In the DG cohort, most (98.7%), outcomes were similar for all types of bowel reconstruction: Anastomotic leakage (BI: 1.4%, BII 0.8%, RX 1.2%, p=0.440), 90-day mortality (BI: 0%, BII 0.1%, RY: 1.1%%, p=0.109), overall (BI: 14.5%, BII: 15.0%, RX: 18.7%, p=0.208) and major morbidity (BI: 7.9%, BII: 9.1%, RX: 7.2%, p=0.219). Conclusion In suitable situations, DG should be preferred to TG, as postoperative morbidity is significantly lower. In addition, LS should be the preferred method of anastomosis after TG. Conversely, the techniques for bowel reconstruction can be chosen according to the surgeon's preference.

Total mesorectal excision in MRI-defined low rectal cancer: multicentre study comparing oncological outcomes of robotic, laparoscopic and transanal total mesorectal excision in high-volume centres.

The routine use of MRI in rectal cancer treatment allows the use of a strict definition for low rectal cancer. This study aimed to compare minimally invasive total mesorectal excision in MRI-defined low rectal cancer in expert laparoscopic, transanal and robotic high-volume centres. All MRI-defined low rectal cancer operated on between 2015 and 2017 in 11 Dutch centres were included. Primary outcomes were: R1 rate, total mesorectal excision quality and 3-year local recurrence and survivals (overall and disease free). Secondary outcomes included conversion rate, complications and whether there was a perioperative change in the preoperative treatment plan. Of 1071 eligible rectal cancers, 633 patients with low rectal cancer were identified. Quality of the total mesorectal excision specimen (P = 0.337), R1 rate (P = 0.107), conversion (P = 0.344), anastomotic leakage rate (P = 0.942), local recurrence (P = 0.809), overall survival (P = 0.436) and disease-free survival (P = 0.347) were comparable among the centres. The laparoscopic centre group had the highest rate of perioperative change in the preoperative treatment plan (10.4%), compared with robotic expert centres (5.2%) and transanal centres (2.1%), P = 0.004. The main reason for this change was stapling difficulty (43%), followed by low tumour location (29%). Multivariable analysis showed that laparoscopic surgery was the only independent risk factor for a change in the preoperative planned procedure, P = 0.024. Centres with expertise in all three minimally invasive total mesorectal excision techniques can achieve good oncological resection in the treatment of MRI-defined low rectal cancer. However, compared with robotic expert centres and transanal centres, patients treated in laparoscopic centres have an increased risk of a change in the preoperative intended procedure due to technical limitations.

Increased risk of incisional hernia after stoma closure in patients with colorectal cancer.

Stoma construction and closure are common surgical strategies in patients with colorectal cancer. The present study evaluated the influence of multiple incisional sites resulting from stoma closure on incisional hernia after colorectal cancer surgery. The study included 1681 patients who underwent colorectal cancer surgery. Multiple incisional sites were defined as the coexistence of incisions at the midline and stoma closure sites. We retrospectively investigated the relationship between the presence of multiple incisional sites and incisional hernia development in patients with colorectal cancer. Among the 1681 patients, 420 (25%) underwent stoma construction, with a stoma closure-to-construction ratio of 33% (139/420), and 155 (9.2%) developed incisional hernias after colorectal cancer surgery. In the multivariate analysis, female sex (p < 0.001), body mass index (p < 0.001), multiple incisional sites (p = 0.001), wound infection (p = 0.003), and postoperative chemotherapy (p = 0.030) were independent predictors of incisional hernia. In the multiple incisional sites group, the age (p < 0.001), surgical approach (laparoscopic) (p = 0.013), wound infection rate (p = 0.046), small bowel obstruction rate (p < 0.001), and anastomotic leakage rate (p = 0.008) were higher in those in the single incisional site group. Multiple incisional sites resulting from stoma closure are associated with the development of incisional hernia following colorectal cancer surgery.