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Drainage After Rectal Excision for Rectal Cancer

Randomized Trial Comparing Drainage Versus no Drainage Following Rectal Excision With Low Anastomosis for Rectal Cancer

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01269567
Acronym
GRECCAR 5
Enrollment
494
Registered
2011-01-04
Start date
2011-01-01
Completion date
2015-01-01
Last updated
2026-05-14

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Multicenter Study, Pelvic Drainage, Randomized Clinical Trial, Rectal Cancer Surgery

Keywords

RectalNeoplasms, Colorectal Neoplasms, Intestinal Neoplasms, Gastrointestinal Neoplasms, Digestive System Neoplasms, Neoplasms by Site, Digestive System Diseases, Gastrointestinal Diseases, Intestinal Diseases, Rectal Diseases

Brief summary

After rectal excision, the rate of anastomotic leak and abscess is higher than after colic surgery. In order to limit and avoid the risk of pelvic sepsis after rectal excision, a prophylactic pelvic drainage is usually used. If current data have confirmed the uselessness of drainage in colic surgery, the question stay in abeyance in rectal surgery. This practice had never been evaluated in patients with rectal excision and low anastomosis (patients with a high risk of pelvic sepsis)

Detailed description

After rectal excision, the rate of anastomotic leak and abscess is higher than after colic surgery. In order to limit and avoid the risk of pelvic sepsis after rectal excision, a prophylactic pelvic drainage is usually used. If current data have confirmed the uselessness of drainage in colic surgery, the question stay in abeyance in rectal surgery. This practice had never been evaluated in patients with rectal excision and low anastomosis (patients with a high risk of pelvic sepsis) The aim of the study is to assess the impact of pelvic drainage vs. non pelvic drainage on risk of pelvic sepsis after rectal excision for cancer with infraperitoneal anastomosis. The principal objective is to compare the rate of pelvic sepsis until 30 days between the 2 groups of patients who had a rectal excision with and without pelvic drainage. It is a randomized clinical trial of superiority, multicentric, without blinding, in 2 parallel groups with ratio (1:1): distribution of the number of patients in the groups.

Interventions

PROCEDURELaying and management of the drain (strictly randomized arm with drainage)

At the end of intervention, the surgeon will position an aspiration drain in order to permit a postoperative pelvic drainage. The drain will be positioned forward sacrum, behind anastomosis. The drain will be leaved in place between 3 and 5 days. The criteria of drain ablation are the absence of haemorrhagic liquid and/or un daily debit \< 100ml. Nursing care will be daily with change of bottle for collect pelvic serosity, accounting of quantity of collected liquid and realization of a dried bandage through contact with penetration of the drain.

PROCEDURENo pelvic drainage

no aspiration drain at the end of intervention

Sponsors

University Hospital, Bordeaux
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Rectal adenocarcinoma, histopathologically proved, with or without neoadjuvant treatment * Stapler or manual infraperitoneal anastomosis * With or without stoma * With bowel preparation * Open or laparoscopic approach * Stage T1-T4 Nx Mx * Age 18 years old or older * Information of the patient and signature of informed consent * Affiliation to a regime of social insurance

Exclusion criteria

* Colonic cancer (\> 15 cm from anal verge) * Abdominoperineal resection * Associated resection (prostate, seminal bladder, vagina…) * Simultaneous liver resection * Total coloproctectomy * Emergency * Infected rectal tumour * Pregnant women, suitable to be, or current suckling * Persons deprived of freedom or under guardianship * Persons under protection of justice * Impossibility to accept the medical follow-up of the study for geographic , social or psychic reasons.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Pelvic sepsiswithin the first 30 days after surgeryPelvic sepsis until 30 days after rectal excision is the primary end point. It is defined as the occurrence of an anastomotic leak revealed by peritonitis or discharge of gas, stools or pus, the vagina or the abdominal wound, and/or a pelvic abscess, between J0 and J30.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Overall sepsisup to 30 days after surgeryOverall sepsis until 30 days (pelvic sepsis, wound abscess, urinary infection, pneumopathy, blood-poisoning)
Peri-operative mortalityup to 30 days after surgeryPeri-operative mortality (hospital mortality and/or until 30 days after surgery if the patient is already going out of hospital)
Surgical morbidity according to Dindo classificationwithin the first 6 months after surgerySurgical morbidity according to Dindo classification
Re-surgery during the hospitalizationduring the hospitalization
Rate of closure of stomawithin the first 6 months after surgeryRate of closure of stoma at 6 months

Countries

France

Contacts

STUDY_CHAIRAdélaïde Doussau, Dr

University Hospital, Bordeaux

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: May 15, 2026