Management of Anastomotic Leakage in a Nationwide Cohort of Colonic Cancer Patients

TY - JOUR

T1 - Management of Anastomotic Leakage in a Nationwide Cohort of Colonic Cancer Patients

AU - Krarup, Peter-Martin

AU - Jorgensen, Lars N

AU - Harling, Henrik

AU - Danish Colorectal Cancer Group

N1 - Copyright © 2014 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PY - 2014/5

Y1 - 2014/5

N2 - Background The mortality associated with anastomotic leakage (AL) after colonic cancer surgery is high and management often results in permanent fecal diversion. Preservation of bowel continuity in combination with proximal loop diversion (salvage) may reduce the number of permanent ostomies without jeopardizing safety. Study Design This nationwide study used prospective data from the database of the Danish Colorectal Cancer Group, the National Patient Registry, and patient files. Patients with AL requiring surgery (grade C) were categorized according to the type of surgical treatment as anastomotic takedown with an end-ostomy or salvage. Thirty-day mortality, long-term mortality, and permanent ostomy rates were analyzed using multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses. Results Anastomotic leakage occurred in 593 of 9,333 patients (6.4%), of whom 507 with grade C were included. Takedown and salvage were undertaken in 433 (85.4%) and 74 (14.6%) patients, respectively. Salvage was performed more frequently for Hinchey I-II or minor anastomotic defects and resulted in increased likelihood of stoma reversal (adjusted hazard ratio 3.24, 95% CI 2.04 to 5.16, p < 0.001), corresponding to a risk of permanent fecal diversion of 16.8%, compared with 54.5% after takedown. Adjusted mortality rates were comparable between the groups. A second episode of AL after stoma reversal occurred more frequently in patients with end-ileostomies (10 of 64) than in patients with end-colostomies (1 of 64) or loop-ileostomies (3 of 36), p = 0.017. Conclusions Patients with Hinchey I-II and small anastomotic defect were safely managed by anastomotic salvage, which reduced the risk of permanent fecal diversion. Anastomotic salvage is a viable option for this subset of patients.

AB - Background The mortality associated with anastomotic leakage (AL) after colonic cancer surgery is high and management often results in permanent fecal diversion. Preservation of bowel continuity in combination with proximal loop diversion (salvage) may reduce the number of permanent ostomies without jeopardizing safety. Study Design This nationwide study used prospective data from the database of the Danish Colorectal Cancer Group, the National Patient Registry, and patient files. Patients with AL requiring surgery (grade C) were categorized according to the type of surgical treatment as anastomotic takedown with an end-ostomy or salvage. Thirty-day mortality, long-term mortality, and permanent ostomy rates were analyzed using multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses. Results Anastomotic leakage occurred in 593 of 9,333 patients (6.4%), of whom 507 with grade C were included. Takedown and salvage were undertaken in 433 (85.4%) and 74 (14.6%) patients, respectively. Salvage was performed more frequently for Hinchey I-II or minor anastomotic defects and resulted in increased likelihood of stoma reversal (adjusted hazard ratio 3.24, 95% CI 2.04 to 5.16, p < 0.001), corresponding to a risk of permanent fecal diversion of 16.8%, compared with 54.5% after takedown. Adjusted mortality rates were comparable between the groups. A second episode of AL after stoma reversal occurred more frequently in patients with end-ileostomies (10 of 64) than in patients with end-colostomies (1 of 64) or loop-ileostomies (3 of 36), p = 0.017. Conclusions Patients with Hinchey I-II and small anastomotic defect were safely managed by anastomotic salvage, which reduced the risk of permanent fecal diversion. Anastomotic salvage is a viable option for this subset of patients.

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Aged, 80 and over

KW - Anastomotic Leak

KW - Colectomy

KW - Colonic Neoplasms

KW - Denmark

KW - Female

KW - Follow-Up Studies

KW - Humans

KW - Ileum

KW - Incidence

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Prospective Studies

KW - Reoperation

KW - Salvage Therapy

KW - Survival Rate

KW - Treatment Outcome

U2 - 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2014.01.051

DO - 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2014.01.051

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24745566

SN - 1072-7515

VL - 218

SP - 940

EP - 949

JO - Journal of the American College of Surgeons

JF - Journal of the American College of Surgeons

IS - 5

ER -