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Updated: Jan 22, 2026

An Intestinal Gut Organ Culture System for Analyzing Host-Microbiota Interactions
Published on: June 30, 2021
Current evidence on the relation between gut microbiota and intestinal anastomotic leak in colorectal surgery
Roy Hajjar1, Manuela M Santos2, François Dagbert1
1Digestive Surgery Service, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), 1000 rue Saint-Denis, Montréal, Québec, H2X 0C1, Canada; Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Background:
Anastomotic leak (AL) is a major complication in colorectal surgery. It worsens morbidity, mortality and oncological outcomes in colorectal cancer. Some evidence suggests a potential effect of the intestinal microbiome on wound healing. This review aims to provide a comprehensive review on historical and current evidence regarding the relation between the gastrointestinal microbiota and AL in colorectal surgery, and the potential microbiota-modifying effect of some perioperative commonly used measures.
Data Sources:
A comprehensive search was conducted in Pubmed, Medline and Embase for historical and current clinical and animal studies addressing perioperative intestinal microbiota evaluation, intestinal healing and AL.
Conclusions:
Evidence on microbes' role in AL is mainly derived from animal experiments. The microbiota's composition and implications are poorly understood in surgical patients. Elaborate microbiota sequencing is required in colorectal surgery to identify potentially beneficial microbial profiles that could lead to specific perioperative microbiome-altering measures and improve surgical and oncological outcomes.
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