title: Colovaginal anastomosis: a unique complication of end-to-end anastomosis stapler use in low anterior resection.
abstract: Anastomotic staplers have been used in colorectal surgery for several years. End-to-end stapler use for low anterior resection, as well as for other procedures, is common in surgical practice. These staplers have allowed more extended, lower resections of the colorectum without loss of bowel continuity or sphincter function. There have been reported complications of stapler use, with anastomotic stricture and leakage being the most common. We report here a unique complication of direct colovaginal anastomosis using the end-to-end stapler during a low anterior resection of an early-stage rectal adenocarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Division of Surgical Oncology, Buffalo, New York 14263, USA.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Cuenca
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Bigas
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Petrelli
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D003106:Colon / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D017792:Surgical Stapling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014621:Vagina / Q000601:surgery*