Treatment of AnastomotiC Leakage After Rectal Cancer Resection. TENTACLE Rectum Study

Rationale:

Anastomotic leakage occurs in up to 20% after low anterior resection for rectal cancer. It is a severe complication with high associated morbidity, ICU admission, prolonged hospital stay and need for reinterventions and readmissions. Anastomotic leakage is independently associated with the risk of local recurrence and reduced long term survival. Most literature focusses on incidence and predictive factors. Remarkably, there is almost no data on the efficiency of different treatments of anastomotic leakage after low anterior resection.

Anastomotic leakage after rectal cancer resection is generally underreported, mainly due to subclinical leaks below a diverting stoma. However, up to 50% of the leaks do not heal with fecal diversion alone, especially not in an irradiated field, related to a competent sphincter which hampers adequate drainage of the presacral abscess. Late diagnosis of 'reactivated' leaks after stoma reversal is not an infrequent phenomenon. Chronic sinus, gluteal abscess, and fistula formation have been reported in up to 10%, and permanent stoma rates around 20%, both having significant impact on quality of life.

Examples of factors that may influence the severity and chance of healing of the anastomotic leakage are: timing of diagnosis, degree of systemic inflammatory response, etiology (e.g. ischemia of the afferent loop), degree of dehiscence and retraction, location of the leak (e.g. circular staple line, blind loop), whether or not a diverting stoma is in place, and extent of abdominal contamination. However, little is known about to what extent these and other factors contribute to anastomotic leakage severity and chance of healing. In addition, it is not known which anastomoses are likely to be preserved by which type of treatment, and which anastomotic failures require redo surgery at a certain time frame.

Primary study objectives