Purpose: Whether omentoplasty after colorectal anastomosis can reduce anastomotic leakage is controversial. Our aim was to do a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to compare anastomotic leakage rates between an omentoplasty group and a no omentoplasty group after colorectal anastomosis.
Materials and methods: We searched the Cochrane Center Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, EMBASE, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database up to June 2008 in any language. Reference lists from all selected articles were also examined. Randomized controlled trials of omentoplasty in the prevention of anastomotic leakage after colorectal resection were selected and evaluated by two investigators. Analyses were performed using Review Manager 4.2.
Results: Three randomized controlled trials totaling 943 participants were included. Meta-analysis results showed that no statistically significant difference was found between the omentoplasty group and the no omentoplasty group in radiological anastomotic leakage (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.41 to 1.40), death (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.86), and repeat operation (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.05), except for clinical anastomotic leakage (RR 0.36, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.78).
Conclusion: Based on available data from a small number of trials, there is not enough evidence to say whether or not omentoplasty should be used to reduce anastomotic leakage after colorectal resection. The decision as to whether we should continue to use this technique might remain a matter of surgical judgment. Therefore, the results still need to be confirmed by future multicenter, well-designed trials.