Use of dual energy CT to identify gastrointestinal anastomotic leak by assessment of percutaneous drain contents

Abstract

Anastomotic leakage is a feared complication of many different types of gastrointestinal surgery. It is important to identify patients with leaks early because sepsis may develop quickly. Suspected leaks are typically confirmed by either fluoroscopy or computed tomography with oral contrast. This article presents a novel method to confirm the presence of a gastrointestinal anastomotic leak when standard imaging and clinical presentation are ambiguous.

Keywords

• Anastomotic leak
• Dual energy CT
• Surgical drain
• Duodenal adenocarcinoma