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Introduction Anastomotic leakage (AL) is a major complication of laparoscopic low anterior resection (LLAR) for rectal cancer. Although several recent reports have suggested that transanal tube placement can prevent AL, this practice is still controversial. Additionally, the mechanism by which a transanal tube prevents AL is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of transanal tube placement for prevention of AL following LLAR. Methods This was a retrospective study that included 69 patients who underwent LLAR between February 2012 and January 2016. After an anastomosis using a double stapling technique, a transanal tube was placed in 28 patients. A diverting stoma was created in 26 patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses of clinicopathological characteristics were performed. Results The overall incidence of AL was 15.9% (11/69). Univariate analysis showed that transanal tube placement ( P = 0.022) and early postoperative diarrhea ( P < 0.001) were associated with AL. The duration of the postoperative hospital stay for patients with transanal tube placement (13.1 ± 4.1 days) was significantly shorter than for patients without a transanal tube (22.7 ± 12.3 days; P < 0.001). However, transanal tube placement did not reduce postoperative diarrhea. Creation of a diverting stoma did not affect the incidence of AL. Multivariate analysis revealed that the absence of a transanal tube (odds ratio = 33.5, P = 0.018) and the occurrence of postoperative diarrhea (odds ratio = 86.3, P = 0.001) were independent risk factors for AL. Conclusion Transanal tube placement prevents AL after LLAR. Furthermore, this protective effect may be due to a reduction in the unfavorable incidence of early postoperative diarrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report presents a case of massive mucosal necrosis of the small intestine in a patient with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS), which particularly affects the brain, nervous system and muscles. A 45-year-old Japanese female, with an established diagnosis of MELAS, presented with vomiting. Computed tomography showed portomesenteric venous gas and pneumatosis intestinalis. She underwent a resection of the small intestine. A microscopic study showed necrosis of the mucosa and vacuolar degeneration of smooth muscle cells in the arterial wall. Immunohistochemistry showed anti-mitochondrial antibody to be highly expressed in the crypts adjacent the necrotic mucosa. The microscopic and immunohistochemical findings suggested the presence of a large number of abnormal mitochondria in MELAS to be closely linked to mucosal necrosis of the small intestine.