Comparison Between Endoscopic Vacuum Therapy and Conventional Treatment for Leakage After Rectal Resection

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Complications
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Anastomotic leakage following rectal resection is a serious complication requiring prompt management.
• Endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) is increasingly adopted for anastomotic leakage treatment globally.
• Evidence comparing EVT's efficacy to other treatments for rectal resection leakage is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of EVT versus conventional treatment for anastomotic leakage after rectal resection.
• To evaluate outcomes including mortality, treatment success, and intestinal continuity preservation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective comparison of 21 patients treated with EVT against 41 patients receiving conventional treatment.
• Primary endpoints: mortality, treatment success, and long-term intestinal continuity.
• Secondary endpoints: hospital stay duration and treatment duration.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in mortality between EVT and conventional treatment groups.
• EVT demonstrated a significantly higher success rate (95.2% vs. 65.9%) and better preservation of intestinal continuity (86.7% vs. 37.5%).
• Conventional treatment showed a trend towards shorter hospital stays, but overall treatment duration and stoma closure times were similar.

Conclusions:

• Both conventional therapy and EVT are viable options for managing anastomotic leakage post-rectal resection.
• EVT appears to be more effective for achieving definitive healing and preserving intestinal continuity.