Background Low colorectal anastomoses carry a high anastomotic leak (AL) rate (up to 20%) and thus are commonly diverted. Much less is known about mid-to-high colorectal anastomosis, which carries a leak rate of 2-4%. The objective of this study was to determine our AL rate after mid-to-high colorectal anastomosis and associated risk factors. Methods A single center retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing left colonic resections with mid-to-high colorectal anastomosis (≥7 cm from the anal verge) from January 2008 to October 2017 was utilized. Main outcome, AL, defined as clinical suspicion supported by radiological or intraoperative findings, was calculated and risk factors assessed using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results 977 patients were included; 487 (49.9%) were male, with a mean age of 59.8 (+/−12.1) years. Mean BMI was 27.5 (+/−5.5) kg/m2. Diverticular disease (67.5%), malignancy (17.4%), and inflammatory bowel disease (2.2%) were the main indications for resection. Mean length of stay was 6.7 (+/−4.5) days. 455 (46.8%) colonic resections were performed by laparoscopy, 283 (29.1%) by hand assisted surgery, 219 (22.5%) by laparotomy, and 16 (1.6%) by robotics. Majority of patients had complete donuts (99.6%) and a negative air leak test (97.7%). 149 patients (15.3%) underwent construction of a diverting stoma. The overall AL rate was 2.1% (n = 20). Increased BMI (>30 kg/m2), P = .02, was an independent risk factor for AL and a trend observed for positive air leak tests ( P = .05), with other factors failing to achieve statistical significance. Conclusions Patients with mid-to-high colorectal anastomosis have a 2% AL risk. Increased BMI was a risk factor for AL.
Background
Leiomyosarcoma is a rare malignant tumor of smooth muscle origin and represents 10–20% of all soft tissue sarcomas. Primary colon and rectal sarcomas constitute < 0.1% of all large bowel malignancies. In Li–Fraumeni syndrome, sarcomas are the second most frequent cancer (25%). Li–Fraumeni syndrome is a genetic disease with a familial predisposition to multiple malignant neoplasms. This syndrome has an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance and high penetrance characterized by germline TP53 mutations. Patients with a history of cancer who do not meet all the “classic” criteria for Li–Fraumeni syndrome are considered to have Li–Fraumeni-like syndrome. To the best of our knowledge, this article is the first report of a patient with rectal leiomyosarcoma as the initial phenotypic manifestation of Li–Fraumeni-like syndrome. The authors also present a literature review.
Case presentation
A 67-year-old Brazilian woman underwent anterior rectosigmoidectomy and panhysterectomy secondary to rectal leiomyosarcoma. She subsequently developed carcinomatosis and died 2 years after the operation. Her family medical history consisted of a daughter who died at 32 years of age from breast cancer, a granddaughter diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma at 6 years of age and two siblings who died from prostate cancer. A genetic study was carried out to identify a pathogenic variant of Li–Fraumeni syndrome. In the DNA extracted from the peripheral blood leukocyte, restriction fragment length polymorphism was analyzed to search for mutations in the TP53 gene. The DNA sequencing identified the germline pathogenic variant p. R337H heterozygous in exon 10 of TP53. The patient was classified as having Li–Fraumeni-like syndrome.
Conclusion
In patients with rectal leiomyosarcoma, it is advisable to investigate the family history of cancer and perform genetic studies to screen for Li–Fraumeni syndrome.
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