The burden of anastomotic leak
Objective 1: The burden of anastomotic leak
Anastomotic leak occurs in around 1 in 12 patients, and has a significant impact on:
- The 2015 ESCP audit found overall anastomotic leak rate following right hermicolectomy to be 8.1%.
- Patients who developed an anastomotic leak have a higher mortality.
- Click to find out more about the 2015 ESCP audit
- Patients with an anastomotic leak have a consistently poorer quality of life score up to 36 months post operatively.
- Related paper: The Impact of Postoperative Complications on Long-term Quality of Life After Curative Colorectal Cancer Surgery
- Anastomotic leaks results in approximately 7.3 extra hospital days and €21,500 in extra costs per patient.
- Related paper: The Burden of Gastrointestinal Anastomotic Leaks: an Evaluation of Clinical and Economic Outcomes