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Anastomotic Leak Management Following Low Anterior Resections

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Difficult Decisions in Colorectal Surgery

Part of the book series: Difficult Decisions in Surgery: An Evidence-Based Approach ((DDSURGERY))

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Abstract

Anastomotic leaks commonly occur after low anterior resections (LAR) and are among the most feared complications encountered by surgeons. Although, overall mortality rates remain low (~2 %) following LAR, one-third of all postoperative deaths occur in patients with anastomotic leak [1] Anastomotic leaks also result in increased rates of patient morbidity, permanent stomas, as well as poor bowel function and incontinence in those patients managed without a permanent stoma [2–4]. Despite an extensive amount of literature addressing risk factors and methods of prevention, the number of anastomotic leaks following low anterior resections has remained the same for the last 40 years [5].

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

    Nathan R. Smallwood MD

  2. Department of Surgery, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

    James W. Fleshman MD

  3. Texas A&M Healthsciences, Dallas, TX, USA

    James W. Fleshman MD

Authors
  1. Nathan R. Smallwood MD
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  2. James W. Fleshman MD
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Correspondence to James W. Fleshman MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Center, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Neil Hyman

  2. Medical Center, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Konstantin Umanskiy

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Smallwood, N.R., Fleshman, J.W. (2017). Anastomotic Leak Management Following Low Anterior Resections. In: Hyman, N., Umanskiy, K. (eds) Difficult Decisions in Colorectal Surgery. Difficult Decisions in Surgery: An Evidence-Based Approach. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40223-9_49

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40223-9_49

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-40222-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-40223-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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