Intraoperative fluorescence angiography as an independent factor of anastomotic leakage and a nomogram for predicting leak for colorectal anastomoses

PURPOSE: Colorectal anastomotic leakage (AL) is a life-threatening complication, which increases morbidity, hospital stay and cost of treatment. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors, including intraoperative indocyanine green fluorescence angiography (ICG FA), associated with the leak of stapled colorectal anastomosis. METHODS: Four hundred twenty-nine consecutive patients underwent surgery between 2017 and 2019 for benign (n=10, 2.3%) or malignant (n=419, 97.7%) and rectal (n=349, 81.4%) or distal sigmoid (n=80, 18.6%) lesions with double-stapling technique reconstruction were included into retrospective study. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression of the tumor-, patient- and treatment-related risk factors of AL was performed. RESULTS: An AL developed in 52 patients (12.1%). In multivariate analysis following variables were independently associated with AL; male sex (odds ratio [OR], 3.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9−7.7; P<0.01), anastomosis at ≤6.5 cm from anal verge (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.3−7.5; P=0.01), and age of ≤62.5 years (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1−4.1; P=0.03). ICG FA was found as independent factor reducing colorectal AL rate (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2−0.8; P=0.02). A nomogram with high discriminative ability (concordance index, 0.81) was created. CONCLUSION: ICG FA is a modifiable surgery-related risk factor associated with a decrease of colorectal AL rate. A suggested nomogram, which takes into consideration ICG FA, might be helpful to identify the individual risk of AL.