A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY ON THE ROLE OF C-REACTIVE PROTEIN AS A PREDICTOR OF COLORECTAL ANASTOMOTIC LEAKAGE

Abstract

Anastomotic leak is a frequent and dreaded complication of colorectal surgery, with incidences ranging from 2-14% recorded. However, early detection may reduce short-term morbidity and death. Advances in surgery have led to the contemporary surgeon seeing colorectal cancer not as an insurmountable hurdle, loaded with morbidity and approaching mortality, but as a task to be tackled, supported by an armament provided by modern oncological surgery and chemo-radiation. As a result, a low-cost, readily accessible marker that can be discovered early in the subclinical stage before overt sepsis emerges would be highly sought.
AIMS & OBJECTIVES This study aims to assess the role of CRP in early detection of colorectal anastomotic leak Objectives: To establish clinically useful post-operative CRP cut-off values to facilitate safe and early discharge after elective colorectal surgery. RESULTSDuring a span of 18 months, a cohort of 55 patients was enrolled, Afterward, a total of 51 patients were deemed qualified for analysis. Among the cohort of 51 individuals, all of them had a surgical procedure involving the anastomosis of the colon, rectum, and anus. Three
individuals did not possess a C-reactive protein (CRP) score on the fourth day. This included leaks from all patients regarding gender distribution, there were 15 female and 36 males who underwent surgery. the three most common procedures were Hartman’s reversal, which formed a third of procedures, while low anterior resection, stoma reversal, hartmans reversal, were about 50% of procedure. Logistic regression analysis revealed a p-value of 0.02 for the association between Day 4 CRP levels and the duration of stay. Additionally, a Mann Whitney U test yielded a p-value of 0.01 for the association between Day 4 CRP levels and the presence of non-leak complications. The mean value of day 4. Being 116.57mg/L. CONCLUSION We recommend that all patients get a day 4 CRP after undergoing an elective colorectal surgical operation. CRP's relevance in colorectal surgery stems from its capacity to identify
anastomotic leaks early, allowing for early management