Ileocolonic anastomosis: Preferred techniques in 999 patients. A multicentric study.

purpose:There is no standard anastomosis technique for performing reconstruction after right hemicolectomy, and , in the literature, studies on ileocolonic anastomosis are rare. The aim of this retrospective work was to analyze the type of anastomosis techniques used and the related results in a multicentric enquiry. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to the departments of Surgery covering a 1,8 milliom of inhabitans area to collect data concerning the anastomosis techniques used and the risults related to complications. Results: Data for 999 patients from 14 departments of Sugery were collected. 95,8 % of the patients were affected by cancer and 4,2% were affected by inflammatory bowel disease(BD). The positioning of the anastomosing bowel was side -to-side in 60,5% of the patients, end-to-side in 38,1% of the patients and end-to-end in 1,3% of the patients. 46,4% of the anastomosis were handsewn and 53,6% were stapled.The complication rate in the cancer group was 5,1% for handsewn techniques and 4,7% for stapled techniques. The rate of anastomosis leakage was higher in the handsewn group than that in the stapled group (P<0,05). The data for the IBD grouip were not statistically relevant.Conclusion: the wide multicentric retrospective analysis showed that there remains variability in ileocolonic anastomosi techniques. Stapled ananstomoses are associated wuth a lower incidence of leakage . In stapled anastomoses the E-S configuration is also related to a lower incidence of leakage