In colorectal surgery, optimizing patient fitness, liberal stoma use, and good technique can minimize anastomotic leaks, and timely intervention ensures survival for most who do leak.
Anastomotic leakage may be minimized by ensuring that patients are as fit as possible prior to surgery, stomata are used liberally, particularly in emergency patients, and a good anastomotic technique is utilized at all times. Despite these precautions some patients will still develop a leak and if timely and appropriate action is taken the majority will survive and have their stomata closed.
William H. Isbister (Sat,) studied this question.