Early and late symptomatic anastomotic leakage following low anterior resection of the rectum for cancer: are they different entities?

45 patients who developed symptomatic anastomotic leakage following low anterior resection of the rectum (LAR) for cancer, identified from 234 patients entered into a randomized multicentre trial

Early leakage (diagnosed during initial hospital stay on median postoperative day 8, n=27)

Late leakage (diagnosed after hospital discharge at median postoperative day 22, n=18)

Differences in patient characteristics, operative details, postoperative course and anatomical localization of the leakage