Antonio D'Urso1, Niels Komen2, Jérémie H Lefevre3. 1. Department of General, Digestive, and Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France. 2. Department of Abdominal Surgery, University Hospital Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium. 3. Department of Digestive Surgery, Sorbonne Université, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, 75012, Paris, France. jeremie.lefevre@aphp.fr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Defunctioning ostomy is commonly used to protect patients from anastomotic leakage complications after low anterior resection, but is fraught with its own deleterious effects. This first-in-human study examines the safety and preliminary efficacy of Colovac, an anastomosis protection device. The Colovac consists of a flexible bypass sheath, placed in the lumen of colon and anchored above the anastomosis using a vacuum stent. METHODS: 15 patients underwent anterior resection (AR) with anastomosis protection by Colovac at 3 European centers. After 14 days, the anastomosis integrity was examined by CT scan and endoscopy. The device was then endoscopically removed. Data regarding demographics, surgical details, 30 day post-operative complications, and patient satisfaction were collected prospectively. RESULTS: 15 patients (10 male) underwent laparoscopic AR with Colovac placement. Preoperative neoadjuvant therapy was administered to 54% of patients. Device placement was uneventful in all patients with a median duration of 7 min and placement was judged as easy or very easy in 93% of the cases. Patients did not report major discomfort during the 14 days. Endoscopic removal (10 min) was judged as easy or very easy in 87% of the cases. Absence of feces below the Colovac anchoring site was observed in 100% of the cases. 4 anastomotic leakages were observed (including 3 device migrations). Overall 5 patients (33%) required a planned stoma creation. At 3 months, 1 had already been closed. CONCLUSION: Colovac provides a minimally invasive protection of the anastomosis during the healing process by avoiding the need for a diverting ostomy for two-thirds of patients who will not experience anastomotic complications and allowing safe conversion to the standard of care for patients requiring extended anastomotic protection. A larger study is ongoing to confirm these results.
BACKGROUND: Defunctioning ostomy is commonly used to protect patients from anastomotic leakage complications after low anterior resection, but is fraught with its own deleterious effects. This first-in-human study examines the safety and preliminary efficacy of Colovac, an anastomosis protection device. The Colovac consists of a flexible bypass sheath, placed in the lumen of colon and anchored above the anastomosis using a vacuum stent. METHODS: 15 patients underwent anterior resection (AR) with anastomosis protection by Colovac at 3 European centers. After 14 days, the anastomosis integrity was examined by CT scan and endoscopy. The device was then endoscopically removed. Data regarding demographics, surgical details, 30 day post-operative complications, and patient satisfaction were collected prospectively. RESULTS: 15 patients (10 male) underwent laparoscopic AR with Colovac placement. Preoperative neoadjuvant therapy was administered to 54% of patients. Device placement was uneventful in all patients with a median duration of 7 min and placement was judged as easy or very easy in 93% of the cases. Patients did not report major discomfort during the 14 days. Endoscopic removal (10 min) was judged as easy or very easy in 87% of the cases. Absence of feces below the Colovac anchoring site was observed in 100% of the cases. 4 anastomotic leakages were observed (including 3 device migrations). Overall 5 patients (33%) required a planned stoma creation. At 3 months, 1 had already been closed. CONCLUSION: Colovac provides a minimally invasive protection of the anastomosis during the healing process by avoiding the need for a diverting ostomy for two-thirds of patients who will not experience anastomotic complications and allowing safe conversion to the standard of care for patients requiring extended anastomotic protection. A larger study is ongoing to confirm these results.
Authors: Flaubert Sena de Medeiros; Epifanio Silvino do Monte Junior; Romero de Lima França; Heli Clóvis de Medeiros Neto; Juliany Medeiros Santos; Eligio Alves Almeida Júnior; Samuel Oliveira da Silva Júnior; Mario Herman Santos Moura Pedreira Tavares; Eduardo Guimarães Hourneaux de Moura Journal: World J Gastrointest Endosc Date: 2020-11-16