Intraoperative and postoperative diagnosis of anastomotic leak following colorectal resection

Anastomotic leak is one of the most feared complications following colorectal resection. A great deal of research has been done to identify which patients are at highest risk, as well as which technical considerations may have an impact on mitigating leak risk. Despite these efforts, many patients will still experience anastomotic dehiscence after colorectal resection. The focus of this article is to identify strategies to detect anastomotic leak using both intraoperative and postoperative criteria.