Anastomotic Leakage in Colorectal Cancer Surgery in Syria

NCT07092631

Anastomotic leakage is a serious complication of colorectal cancer surgery, particularly in resource-limited and conflict-affected settings. This retrospective cohort study conducted at Damascus Hospital, Syria, evaluated patient and procedure related risk factors for anastomotic leakage following elective sigmoid colon and rectal resections. An initial cohort (January 2016-March 2024) identified modifiable risk factors that informed updates to institutional preoperative and perioperative guidelines. A follow-up cohort (April 2024-October 2025) was subsequently analyzed to assess outcomes after guideline implementation. The study demonstrates that targeted optimization, especially correction of hypoalbuminemia and improved perioperative management was associated with reduced anastomotic leakage and postoperative mortality, highlighting the value of context-specific, evidence-based guideline changes in low-resource surgical settings.