Doughnut bother! Histopathological examination of anastomotic doughnuts following colorectal anastomosis does not change patient management

Abstract

Abstract Introduction The use of a circular stapling device to create an anastomosis following colonic or rectal resection is common practice in the United Kingdom. Histopathological analysis of the anastomotic doughnuts produced takes time and resources, but does it ever change patient management? The aim of this study was to review the examination of doughnuts and whether patient treatment was altered by the findings. Method A retrospective case note review of all cases involving anastomotic doughnuts in a single trust between December 2010 and January 2018, was performed. Results There were 435 cases identified, male to female ratio was 2.0:1, age range 20–86 years and a median age of 66 years. 376 Doughnut samples were received by the pathology department (86.4%) and 354 were examined (81.4%). The disease processes involved were adenocarcinoma (n = 352, 80.9%), diverticular disease (n = 47, 10.8%), no residual disease/complete response (n = 22, 5.1%), adenoma (n = 7, 1.6%), mucinous (n = 5, 1.1%), Crohn’s disease (n = 1, 0.2%) and neuroendocrine (n = 1, 0.2%). Benign adenomatous change was identified in 4 cases (0.9%). No doughnuts examined contained dysplastic or malignant changes. Conclusion The histological examination of anastomotic doughnuts is extremely unlikely to identify malignant change and subsequently does not change patient management. Pathology departments could save time and resources by not routinely examining doughnuts.