Delayed diagnosis of anastomotic leak is linked to higher failure to rescue rates after colon resection, which can profoundly impact surgical outcomes.

• Patients with delayed organ space surgical site infection (31.1%) had a failure to rescue (FTR) rate of 7.8% versus 2.2% for early diagnoses.
• Mean length of stay was longer for delayed diagnoses (22.6 days) compared to early ones (17.6 days, p<0.001).

Timely identification of anastomotic leaks is crucial; enhancing diagnosis can decrease mortality after colon surgery.

• Complication rates were also higher with delayed diagnosis (3.0 vs 1.7, p<0.001).