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Case Reports
. 2021 Mar 31;51(1):116-118.
doi: 10.28920/dhm51.1.116-118.

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment for late low colorectal anastomosis ischaemia: Case report

Marcello Sanzi  1   2 , Alberto Aiolfi  1 , Jacopo Nicolò Marin  1 , Abd El Hakim Darawsh  3 , Davide Bona  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment for late low colorectal anastomosis ischaemia: Case report

Marcello Sanzi et al. Diving Hyperb Med. .

Abstract

Introduction: This report describes the use of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) to treat a case of colorectal anastomosis ischaemia following colorectal surgery.

Case report: A 47-year-old man developed post-operative colorectal anastomosis ischaemia with leak after laparoscopic low anterior resection for T3N0 adenocarcinoma of the rectum. The leak with concomitant ischaemia presented 17 days after surgery. HBOT was administrated in 11 sessions over three weeks and the patient followed endoscopically and radiologically for two months. At two months the anastomosis showed both endoscopic and radiological healing; therefore the ileostomy was closed. Anal function was satisfactory with no incontinence or evidence of sepsis.

Conclusions: Intra-operative or late leak with concomitant ischaemia of a colorectal anastomosis is a challenging event in colorectal surgery. HBOT may be beneficial in promoting healing in selected patients. Further studies are needed to evaluate conservative treatments and the role of HBOT.

Keywords: Anastomosis; Gastro-intestinal tract; Surgery; Wounds.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest and funding: nil

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Endoscopy showing segmental perianastomotic ischaemia at day 17 after surgery
Figure 2
Figure 2
Endoscopy showing resolution of the segmental ischaemia and normal perianastomotic mucosa two months after the first HBOT session
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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