Anastomotic leakage in rectal surgery. Role of the ghost ileostomy
Background/Aim: A protective ileostomy performed during anterior resection in rectal surgery is considered a good practice to prevent anastomotic leakage. A derivative ostomy seems to be able to minimize the clinical consequences of an anastomotic leakage, but not to prevent it. The present study examined the role of the ghost ileostomy in anastomotic leakage following rectal surgery. Patients and Methods: This study included 82 patients that had undergone anterior rectal resection. A total of 32 patients underwent ghost ileostomy (GH) and 50 patients underwent ileostomy (IL).