RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Clinical Significance of Intraoperative Colonoscopy for Anastomotic Assessment in Rectal Cancer Surgery JF Anticancer Research JO Anticancer Res FD International Institute of Anticancer Research SP 5761 OP 5765 DO 10.21873/anticanres.13778 VO 39 IS 10 A1 SHIBUYA, NAOKI A1 MATSUDA, TAKERU A1 YAMASHITA, KIMIHIRO A1 HASEGAWA, HIROSHI A1 YAMAMOTO, MASASHI A1 KANAJI, SHINGO A1 OSHIKIRI, TARO A1 NAKAMURA, TETSU A1 SUZUKI, SATOSHI A1 KAKEJI, YOSHIHIRO YR 2019 UL http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/39/10/5761.abstract AB Background/Aim: To clarify the usefulness of intraoperative colonoscopy (CS) for preventing postoperative anastomotic leakage and bleeding in rectal cancer surgery. Patients and Methods: The data of rectal cancer patients who underwent circular-stapled anastomosis from January 2008 to December 2016 were compared between 162 patients who received intraoperative CS (the CS group) and 23 patients who did not receive intraoperative CS (the non-CS group). Results: Anastomotic leakage rate in the CS group (8.6%) was similar to that in the non-CS group (4.3%) (p=0.70). Postoperative anastomotic bleeding rate was also similar between the CS and non-CS groups (2.4% vs. 0%, p=0.50). Although a positive air leak test was observed in two patients in the CS group, no postoperative leakage developed by adding intraoperative treatment. Conclusion: Although intraoperative CS did not significantly reduce the incidence of postoperative anastomotic leakage or bleeding, it can be useful for certain cases.