Epidural block and neostigmine cause anastomosis leak

Abstract

Getu Ataro Department of Anesthesia, Jimma University, Jimma, EthiopiaI read the article by Phillips entitled, “Reducing gastrointestinal anastomotic leak rates: review of challenges and solutions”, published in the journal of Open Access Surgery with enthusiasm and found it crucial for perioperative management of patients with gastrointestinal (GI) surgery, particularly anastomosis. I appreciate the author’s exhaustive search of literature and discussion with some limitation on review basics like methodology, which may affect the reliability of the review findings. The effects of risk factors for anastomosis leak, such as malnutrition, smoking, steroid use, bowel preparation, chemotherapy, duration of surgery, use of pressors, intravenous fluid administration, blood transfusion, and surgical anastomotic technique, were well discussed.1 However, from anesthesia perspective, there are some other well-studied risk factors that can affect healing of anastomosis wound and cause anastomosis leak. Among others, the effect of neostigmine and epidural block has been reported in many studies since half a century ago. View the original paper by Phillips

Keywords

• anastomosis leak
• epidural block
• neostigmine