Quantification of Anastomostic Blood Flow With Fluorescence Imaging in Low Anterior Resection for Rectal Cancer

A serious and life-threatening complication to rectal surgery is anastomotic leakage, AL. In Denmark, approximately 800 patients every year, are operated for rectal cancer, 50% of these with resection and anastomosis.

The registered leakage rate for rectal anastomosis is 10-15%. AL can be life threatening and has long-term adverse effects for the patients, with reduced quality of life, due to a poor functional result of the neo-rectum known as low anterior rectal syndrome (LARS). Fistulas to the vagina or urinary tract are other severe complications. Furthermore, AL is associated with an increased risk of reccurence1. Finally, the AL-associated morbidity is also a significant economic burden to the health care system due to prolonged hospital stay, medicine, and reoperations.

During surgery it is important to ensure optimal healing conditions for the anastomosis. The blood flow is evaluated by colour and pulsation in the mesentery.

Studies suggest that it might be easier to evaluate the perfusion using fluorescent dye. This evaluation is a subjective evaluation, based mostly on the surgeon's experience.

Assessing fluorescence by computer-based software, qICG, has been developed. But cut-off values for sufficient blood flow to diminish the risk of leakage, has not yet been defined.

Aim:

Primary objective: To establish cut-off values of qICG, where blood flow assumes sufficient for healing, and thereby reduce the risk of leakage.

Secondary objective: To identify which long-term complications grade A, B and C leakages entails on Quality of Life.