The international surgical journal with global reach

This is the Scientific Surgery Archive, which contains all randomized clinical trials in surgery that have been identified by searching the top 50 English language medical journal issues since January 1998. Compiled by Jonothan J. Earnshaw, former Editor-in-Chief, BJS

Defunctioning stoma reduces symptomatic anastomotic leakage after low anterior resection of the rectum for cancer: a randomised multicenter trial. Ann Surg 2007; 246: 207-214.

Published: 1st January 2007

Authors: Matthiessen P, Hallbook O, Rutegard J, Simert G, Sjodahl R.

Conclusion

Routine use of a stoma reduced the rate of symptomatic anastomotic leakage from 28 to 10.3 per cent (P<0.001), and also the rate of urgent reoperation from 25.4 to 8.6 per cent (P<0.001) in this trial that included 234 patients. However, 14 per cent of patients in the group still had their stoma after a median 42 months.



 

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