Protecting the high-risk rectal anastomosis.
Anastomotic leakage is a serious complication of colonic surgery, and contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality. A new technique has been developed to reduce the danger from such leaks, which involves exteriorizing a loop of transverse colon without opeining it. Should a leak develop, this loop can be transformed into a colostomy; otherwise, it can be easily remimplanted into the abdomen once the bowel is healed.
D003106:Colon / Q000601:surgery*; D012809:Colon, Sigmoid / Q000601:surgery*; D003125:Colostomy; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery; D012007:Rectum / Q000601:surgery*