Backgrounds: Surgery remains mainstay management for colon cancer. Post-operative anastomotic leak (AL) carries significant morbidity and mortality. Rates of, and risk factors associated with AL following right hemicolectomy remain poorly documented across Australia and New Zealand. This study examines the Bowel Cancer Outcomes Registry (BCOR) to address this.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study was undertaken of consecutive BCOR-registered right hemicolectomy patients undergoing resection for colon cancer (2007-2021). The primary outcome measure was AL incidence. Clinicopathological data were extracted from the BCOR. Factors associated with AL and primary anastomosis were identified using logistic regression. AL-rate trends were assessed by linear regression.
Results: Of 13 512 patients who had a right hemicolectomy (45.2% male, mean age 72.5 years, SD 12.1), 258 (2.0%) had an AL. On multivariate analysis, male sex (OR 1.33; 95% CI 1.03-1.71) and emergency surgery (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.04-1.92) were associated with AL. Private health insurance status (OR 0.66; 95% CI 0.50-0.88) and minimally-invasive surgery (OR 0.61; 95% CI 0.47-0.79) were protective for AL. Anastomotic technique (handsewn versus stapled) was not associated with AL (P = 0.84). Patients with higher ASA status (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.39-0.58), advanced tumour stage (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.50-0.63), and emergency surgery (OR 0.16; 95% CI 0.13-0.20) were less likely to have a primary anastomosis. AL-rate and year of surgery showed no association (P = 0.521).
Conclusion: The AL rate in Australia and New Zealand following right hemicolectomy is consistent with the published literature and was stable throughout the study period. Sex, emergency surgery, insurance status, and minimally invasive surgery are associated with AL incidence.
Keywords: anastomotic leakage; colorectal cancer.
© 2023 The Authors. ANZ Journal of Surgery published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.