SynthesisInternational journal of colorectal disease2016
To drain or not to drain in colorectal anastomosis: a meta-analysis.
Synthesis in International journal of colorectal disease, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 41 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
41 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 94 citations in OpenAlex.
- Risk and protective factors for postoperative anastomotic leakage in esophageal and gastrointestinal surgery: an umbrella review of meta-analyses and systematic reviews.International journal of surgery (London, England) · 2026Pooled it
- Peritoneal cytokines as a predictor of colorectal anastomotic leaks on postoperative day 1: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Techniques in coloproctology · 2022Pooled it
- Is a drain necessary after anterior resection of the rectum? A systematic review and meta-analysis.International journal of colorectal disease · 2019Pooled it
- Extraperitoneal tunneling reduces intraperitoneal drain displacement in rectal cancer surgery: a single-center before-and-after comparative study.Annals of coloproctology · 2026Article
- Advancing early diagnosis of colorectal anastomotic leakage using drain fluid biochemical analysis.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Comparison of drain displacement and complications between conventional drain insertion and extraperitoneal tunneling drain insertion following anterior or low anterior resection: a retrospective comparative cohort study.Annals of surgical treatment and research · 2025Article
- Omission of intraoperative drain placement during robotic partial nephrectomy and robotic radical prostatectomy is safe: an analysis of 18,000 patients.World journal of urology · 2024Article
- Early Detection and Monitoring of Anastomotic Leaks via Naked Eye-Readable, Non-Electronic Macromolecular Network Sensors.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2024Article
- Effect of prophylactic abdominal drainage on postoperative pain in laparoscopic hemicolectomy for colon cancer: a single-center observational study in Korea.Journal of minimally invasive surgery · 2024Article
- Introduction of extraperitoneal tunneling method: a way to secure the drain tube in the pelvic cavity after proctectomy.Annals of coloproctology · 2024Article
- Abdominal drainage after elective colorectal surgery: propensity score-matched retrospective analysis of an Italian cohort.BJS open · 2024Article
- Enhanced perioperative care in emergency general surgery: the WSES position paper.World journal of emergency surgery : WJES · 2023Review
- The EUPEMEN (EUropean PErioperative MEdical Networking) Protocol for Bowel Obstruction: Recommendations for Perioperative Care.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Article
- The Colorectal Anastomosis: A Timeless Challenge.Clinics in colon and rectal surgery · 2023Review
- Anastomotic Leakage after Colorectal Surgery in Ovarian Cancer: Drainage, Stoma Utility and Risk Factors.Cancers · 2022Article
- Modular stimuli-responsive hydrogel sealants for early gastrointestinal leak detection and containment.Nature communications · 2022Article
- Factors Contributing to Anastomotic Leakage Following Colorectal Surgery: Why, When, and Who Leaks?Cureus · 2022Review
- International survey among surgeons on laparoscopic right hemicolectomy: the gap between guidelines and reality.Surgical endoscopy · 2022Article
- Guidelines for Perioperative Care in Elective Abdominal and Pelvic Surgery at Primary and Secondary Hospitals in Low-Middle-Income Countries (LMIC's): Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Society Recommendation.World journal of surgery · 2022Review
- Attitudes towards Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) interventions in colorectal surgery: nationwide survey of Australia and New Zealand colorectal surgeons.Langenbeck's archives of surgery · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCurrently, many surgeons place a prophylactic drain in the abdominal or pelvic cavity after colorectal anastomosis as a conventional treatment. However, some trials have demonstrated that this procedure may not be beneficial to the patients.
objectiveTo determine whether prophylactic placement of a drain in colorectal anastomosis can reduce postoperative complications.
methodsWe systematically searched all the electronic databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared routine use of drainage to non-drainage regimes after colorectal anastomosis, using the terms "colorectal" or "colon/colonic" or "rectum/rectal" and "anastomo*" and "drain or drainage." Reference lists of relevant articles, conference proceedings, and ongoing trial databases were also screened. Primary outcome measures were clinical and radiological anastomotic leakage. Secondary outcome measures included mortality, wound infection, re-operation, and respiratory complications. We assessed the eligible studies for risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Two authors independently extracted data.
resultsEleven RCTs were included (1803 patients in total, 939 patients in the drain group and 864 patients in the no drain group). Meta-analysis showed that there was no statistically significant differences between the drain group and the no drain group in (1) overall anastomotic leakage (relative risk (RR) = 1.14, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.80-1.62, P = 0.47), (2) clinical anastomotic leakage (RR = 1.39, 95 % CI 0.80-2.39, P = 0.24), (3) radiologic anastomotic leakage (RR = 0.92, 95 % CI 0.56-1.51, P = 0.74), (4) mortality (RR = 0.94, 95 % CI 0.57-1.55, P = 0.81), (5) wound infection (RR = 1.19, 95 % CI 0.84-1.69, P = 0.34), (6) re-operation (RR = 1.18, 95 % CI 0.75-1.85, P = 0.47), and (7) respiratory complications (RR = 0.82, 95 % CI 0.55-1.23, P = 0.34).
conclusionsRoutine use of prophylactic drainage in colorectal anastomosis does not benefit in decreasing postoperative complications.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.