Does fluorescence angiography with pinpoint perfusion imaging reduce the risk of anastomotic leak and stenosis in laparoscopic low rectal and anorectal anastomoses?
Fluorescence angiography may help reduce anastomotic complications in colorectal surgery by assessing blood supply, but definitive evidence from RCTs is currently lacking.
In this paper, we discuss assessment of colorectal blood supply using FA and how this technique holds great potential to detect insufficiently perfused bowel. In so doing, the operator can adjust their operative strategy to mitigate these affects with the aim of reducing the complications of anastomotic leak and stenosis. However, it is highlighted that there is a clear need for randomised controlled trials in order to determine this definitively.
James et al. (Wed,) studied this question.