Abstract

Anastomotic leakage is one of the most feared complications of rectal surgery. It increases morbidity and mortality, worsens prognosis and reduces quality of life. Despite efforts to identify risk factors, developments in surgical techniques and improved perioperative care, the incidence of this serious complication remains high [1,2]. Precise tissue adaptation and sufficient blood supply are necessary for uncomplicated anastomotic healing. However, perfusion of the anastomosis is difficult to evaluate and simple intraoperative evaluation by the surgeon is not reliable [3,4,5]. Other methods to predict anastomotic leakage include the air leak test and intraoperative endoscopy. Disappointingly, these methods also cannot reliably reduce the incidence of anastomotic leakage [6].