Background: When a colorectal or coloanal anastomosis fails because of persistent leakage or stenosis, or the anastomosis has to be resected for recurrent cancer, constructing a new anastomosis might be an option in selected patients. This is a rare and complex type of redo surgery.
Objective: The aim of this review was to evaluate the current literature on redo anastomosis for complicated colorectal or coloanal anastomosis.
Data sources: A systematic literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, the PROSPERO register, clinicaltrials.gov, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform database was performed.
Study selection: Two reviewers independently screened the available literature. All studies reporting on redo surgery and aiming at reconstruction of a prior low colorectal or coloanal anastomosis for any indication were included.
Main outcome measures: Primary outcome was successful restoration of continuity. Secondary outcomes were postoperative morbidity, pelvic sepsis, incontinence, and mortality.
Results: Nine studies were included, comprising 291 patients, of whom 76% had index surgery for colorectal cancer. Pooled proportions showed an overall success rate of 79% (95% CI, 69-86), with a pooled incidence of major postoperative morbidity of 16% (95% CI, 10-24). The pooled pelvic sepsis rate was 16% (95% CI, 9-27), and the pooled surgical reintervention and readmission rates were 11% (95% CI, 8-17) and 7% (95% CI, 3-15). Five studies reported on incontinence, with a pooled proportion of 17% (95% CI, 10-26).
Limitations: The limitations of this review are the lack of randomized controlled trials and high-quality studies, and the small sample sizes and heterogeneous patient populations in the included studies.
Conclusions: Redo surgery is a valuable treatment option for the complicated colorectal or coloanal anastomosis with 79% successful restoration of bowel continuity in the published literature from experienced tertiary centers.