Is the use of a transanal drainage tube effective in treating anastomotic leakage for mid-low rectal cancer

Table 1 Biological data and comorbidity in the transanal drainage tube and non-transanal drainage tube groups, n (%)

Variables	All patients (n = 68)	Non-TDT (n = 25)	TDT (n = 43)	Statistic	P value
Sex			χ² = 1.06	0.304
Male	46 (67.65)	15 (60.00)	31 (72.09)
Female	22 (32.35)	10 (40.00)	12 (27.91)
Age (years)	62.44 ± 12.04	60.64 ± 12.45	63.49 ± 11.81	t = -0.94	0.351
Preoperative albumin (g/L)	41.00 (38.00, 44.00)	41.00 (38.00, 43.00)	41.00 (38.50, 44.00)	Z = -0.03	0.98
Body mass index (kg/m2)	23.71 ± 2.95	23.55 ± 3.21	23.80 ± 2.82	t = -0.34	0.736
Comorbidity	35 (51.47)	12 (48.00)	23 (53.49)	χ² = 0.19	0.662
Diabetes	13 (19.12)	5 (20.00)	8 (18.60)	χ² = 0.00	1
Hypertension	22 (32.35)	6 (24.00)	16 (37.21)	χ² = 1.26	0.262
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease	2 (2.94)	0 (0.00)	2 (4.65)	-	0.528
Cardiovascular	10 (14.71)	4 (16.00)	6 (13.95)	-	1
Hepatic insufficiency	2 (2.94)	1 (4.00)	1 (2.33)	-	1
Surgical approach				χ² = 0.39	0.531
Laparoscope	62 (91.18)	24 (96.00)	38 (88.37)
Robot assisted	6 (8.82)	1 (4.00)	5 (11.63)
Distance of tumor from the anus (cm)	7.00 (5.00, 8.00)	7.00 (5.00, 7.50)	7.00 (5.00, 8.00)	Z = -0.08	0.933
Tumor diameter (cm)	4.00 (3.00, 4.00)	3.00 (3.00, 4.00)	4.00 (3.00, 4.00)	Z = -1.29	0.196
American Society of Anesthesiologists				χ² = 0.56	0.455
1-2	48 (70.59)	19 (76.00)	29 (67.44)
3	20 (29.41)	6 (24.00)	14 (32.56)
TNM				χ² = 1.25	0.536
I	16 (23.53)	4 (16.00)	12 (27.91)
II	32 (47.06)	13 (52.00)	19 (44.19)
III	20 (29.41)	8 (32.00)	12 (27.91)
Diverting stoma	21 (30.88)	7 (28.00)	14 (32.56)	χ² = 0.15	0.695
Duration of anal canal treatment (days)			7.00 (5.00, 10.50)

TDT: Transanal drainage tube.

Table 2 Intention-to-treat analysis of the transanal drainage tube and non-transanal drainage tube groups, n (%)

Variables	All patients (n = 68)	non-TDT (n = 25)	TDT (n = 43)	Statistic	P value
Operation time (minute)	240.00 (203.75, 296.50)	240.00 (200.00, 296.00)	240.00 (212.50, 289.00)	Z = -0.03	0.975
Distance of anastomosis from the anus (cm)	4.00 (3.00, 6.00)	4.00 (3.00, 5.00)	4.00 (2.90, 6.00)	Z = -0.45	0.653
Intraoperative bleeding (mL)	50.00 (50.00, 100.00)	100.00 (50.00, 100.00)	50.00 (50.00, 100.00)	Z = -1.43	0.152
Reoperation	21 (30.88)	12 (48.00)	9 (20.93)	χ² = 5.43	0.02
Bacterial cultures of abdominal drainage fluid negative (days)	9.00 (6.00, 16.00)	10.00 (7.00, 16.00)	8.00 (5.00, 15.50)	Z = -0.92	0.355
Neutrophil number back to normal (days)	8.50 (5.00, 14.25)	10.00 (5.00, 15.00)	7.00 (5.00, 13.50)	Z = -0.53	0.596
Procalcitonin < 0.25 (days)	9.00 (5.00, 14.00)	10.00 (7.00, 14.00)	7.00 (5.00, 13.00)	Z = -0.61	0.545
Recovery enteral nutrition (days)	6.50 (3.00, 13.00)	8.00 (5.00, 10.00)	6.00 (2.00, 13.00)	Z = -1.45	0.146
Discharge albumin (g/L)	34.00 (32.00, 36.00)	35.00 (32.00, 36.00)	33.00 (31.00, 35.00)	Z = -1.48	0.14
Use of antibiotics (days)	10.00 (6.00, 16.00)	10.00 (7.00, 18.00)	10.00 (6.00, 15.00)	Z = -0.79	0.429
Cost (RMB)	109205.93 ± 57366.51	116891.43 ± 65540.44	104737.62 ± 52341.15	t = 0.84	0.404
Discharge after surgery (days)	21.00 (12.00, 29.00)	23.00 (15.00, 32.00)	19.00 (10.00, 28.00)	Z = -1.64	0.102
Death	1 (1.5)	1 (2.4)	0	-	1

TDT: Transanal drainage tube.

Table 3 Incidence of long-term preservation of continuity, n (%)

Variables	All patients (n = 68)	non-TDT (n = 25)	TDT (n = 43)	Statistic	P value
Long-term preservation of continuity				χ² = 9.18	0.002
No	25 (36.76)	15 (60.00)	10 (23.26)
Yes	43 (63.24)	10 (40.00)	33 (76.74)

TDT: transanal drainage tube.

Table 4 Incidence of low anterior resection syndrome, n (%)

Variables	All patients (n = 43)	non-TDT (n = 10)	TDT (n = 33)	Statistic	P value
LARS			χ² = 3.86	0.049
No	18 (41.86)	1 (10.00)	17 (51.52)
Yes	25 (58.14)	9 (90.00)	16 (48.48)
LARS				-	0.059
No	18 (41.86)	1 (10.00)	17 (51.52)
Minor	14 (32.56)	5 (50.00)	9 (27.27)
Major	11 (25.58)	4 (40.00)	7 (21.21)

LARS: Low anterior resection syndrome; TDT: Transanal drainage tube.