Open AccessAnastomotic Leak: Toward an Understanding of Its Root Causes
Author(s) -
John C. Alverdy,
H. M. Schardey
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of gastrointestinal surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.168
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1873-4626
pISSN - 1091-255X
DOI - 10.1007/s11605-021-05048-4
Subject(s) - leak , medicine , anastomosis , surgery , general surgery , engineering , environmental engineering
When an anastomotic leak is discussed at a typical surgical morbidity and mortality conference, it is often presented as a due to an error in surgical technique involving ischemia, tension, or device failure. Here we assert that without direct visual analysis of the leak site and its tissue histology, an ex post facto claim that an anastomotic leak is due to an error in surgical technique remains speculative.