Checking blood flow with a green fluorescent dye was linked to fewer leaks where the two ends of the oesophagus are joined.
- About 13 patients need to be scanned to prevent one leak.
- The pooled analysis covered 23 studies and 2845 patients, 1154 of whom were scanned.
- Death, reoperation, and overall complications did not differ between groups.
Only four of the 23 studies were randomized trials, so this shows a link, not proof. The scan also depends on who reads it, so results may vary by surgeon.
Meta-Analysis by Dermanis AA, Thompson D, Kamarajah SK and Griffiths EA in Br J Surg
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