Introduction and aim: Anastomosis leak occurs in 1-19% of colorectal surgeries. Our objective was to present the first Mexican case series on colorrectal surgery using indocyanine green fluorescence angiography to evaluate perfusion prior to carrying out the anastomosis.
A retrospective, analytic, descriptive study was conducted. We studied the case records of consecutive patients that underwent colorectal surgery with indocyanine green angiography performed by the same group of colorectal surgeons. Twenty-one case records were reviewed. Eleven (52.3%) of the patients were women, mean patient age was 57 years (38-82), and mean body mass index was 25 kg/m2 (17-34). Fifteen (71.4%) patients were diagnosed with malignant disease. Indocyanine green angiography changed our therapeutic decision in three (14.2%) patients. Two colorrectal anastomoses (14.2%) were performed at fewer than 5 cm from the anal verge and 13 (61.9%) were performed at more than 5 cm from the anal verge. Three of the anastomoses were ileocolic (14.2%), two were coloanal (9.5%), and one was ileoanal (4.7%). There were six (28.5%) complications, no cases of anastomotic leak, and no complications associated with the use of indocyanine green. The mortality rate was 0%. The present case series is the first on colorectal surgery conducted in Mexico using indocyanine green fluorescence angiography, with excellent results.
