Peritoneal release of TNFalpha and IL-6 after elective colorectal surgery and anastomotic leakage

The evaluation of postoperative peritoneal drainage fluid tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 was studied prospectively over a 7-day period in 25 patients operated on for neoplastic colorectal diseases. In 22 cases, colon or rectum carcinoma was the reason for surgery, and in 3 patients resection was performed because of colonic adenoma. All patients received either an end-to-end colo-colonic or colorectal anastomosis. Of this group, 22 patients were free of complications defined as uneventful postoperative course without any signs of anastomotic leakage until the 14th postoperative day. All of these patients showed a significant rise in peritoneal TNFalpha with maximum on the 7th day during the study period (p <.05). In contrast, peritoneal IL-6 levels remained constant without significant change in time (p >.05). Three patients underwent relaparotomy because of anastomotic leakage. In these patients, peritoneal TNFalpha concentrations showed a rise until the day of operative confirmation of anastomotic leakage. This rise preceded the day of operative confirmation by at least 1 day but did not change significantly in time (p =.59). Peritoneal IL-6 concentrations in patients with anastomotic leakage remained constant and also did not change significantly in time (p =.21). After elective colorectal surgery, neither postoperative abdominal drainage fluid TNFalpha nor IL-6 monitoring is helpful to decide on the need for revision in patients with anastomotic leakage.