Abstract
Purpose: Colon anastomotic leakage remains both a frequent and serious complication in gastrointestinal surgery. External coating of colonic anastomoses has been proposed as a means to lower the rate of this complication. The aim of this review was to evaluate existing studies on external coating of colonic anastomoses. Methods: CINAHL, EMBASE, and PubMed were searched up to September 2011 to identify studies evaluating external coating of colonic anastomoses. Results: Forty studies have evaluated 20 different coating materials, of which only fibrin sealant, omental pedicle graft, and hyaluronic acid/carboxymethylcellulose have been used in humans. Fibrin sealant has shown positive, however not significant, results. Omental pedicle graft can be used safely, yet without beneficial effects, whereas hyaluronic acid/ carboxymethylcellulose should be avoided due to increased complications. The remaining coating materials have solely been evaluated in experimental animals with many contradictory and few positive results. Conclusions: External coating of colonic anastomoses has yet failed to show convincing results. Randomized clinical trials and high-quality experimental studies are warranted to determine the role of fibrin sealant, omental pedicle graft, and other coating materials for prevention of colon anastomotic leakage.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | International Journal of Colorectal Disease |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1247-58 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| ISSN | 0179-1958 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2012 |