Effect of ischemia/reperfusion as a systemic phenomenon on anastomotic healing in the left colon

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion provokes a local inflammatory response leading to a systemic inflammatory state. In this study we aimed to assess the effects of intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury on anastomotic healing in the left colon with an intact vascular supply. A total of 94 Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups: sham-operated control (group I, n = 25), 30 minutes of intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (group II, n = 40), and 7-day allopurinol pretreatment and intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (group III, n = 29). After the reperfusion experiment, a segmental left colon resection and anastomosis were done. On postoperative days 3 and 7 anastomotic bursting pressure, anastomotic and operative complications, and intraabdominal adhesions were assessed. Mortality rates were 1/25, 16/40, and 4/29 for groups I, II, and III, respectively (p = 0.001). There was no difference among the groups for wound and anastomotic healing parameters evaluated by macroscopic criteria. On postoperative day 7 the mean bursting pressures were 220.3 +/- 18.5, 162.0 +/- 21.0, and 213.9 +/- 24.7 for groups I, II, and II, respectively (p = 0.000). Significantly dense adhesions were found in group II (p = 0.000). Allopurinol pretreatment prevented the effects of ischemia/reperfusion on anastomotic healing of the left colon. Intestinal/ischemia reperfusion causes impairment of anastomotic healing of the left colon. In addition to remote organ effects, reperfusion injury may affect anastomotic healing in the viscera with an intact vascular supply.