Patient Dies of Sepsis After Colorectal Surgery

Case Overview

This case involves a 50-year-old male patient diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer. He had a colon resection performed by a colorectal surgeon. He was admitted to a Tennessee hospital for post-op observation over the weekend. Over the weekend, he began to experience intense pain. Nothing was done other than giving him pain medication until Monday morning when the surgeon saw him. After testing, it was determined that he had an anastomatic leak which had caused him to become septic and required surgical repair. That surgery was performed and he was never able to come off the ventilator following the surgery. He was transferred to another hospital and died a month later.

Questions to the General Surgery expert and their responses

How often do you treat patients with Stage III colon cancer?

I operate on about 20 patients with Stage III colon cancer a year, out of about 50 colorectal cancer procedures.

What is the standard follow up for patients complaining of pain following colon resection surgery?

The standard follow up for all patients after abdominal surgery consists of daily exams, monitoring of vital signs, and laboratory results. Should any issue come up, there are many other diagnostic modalities that can identify the problem.

Can a delay in diagnosis of anastomatic leak worsen a patient's prognosis?

A delay in diagnosis of anastomotic leak has detrimental effects and worsens a patient's prognosis.

About the expert

This qualified expert is residency-trained in general surgery, and takes trauma calls in the ER. He has 15+ years of experience as a colorectal surgeon, along with substantial experience in surgical oncology. He holds memberships at such prestigious medical societies as the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons, and is also an active manuscript reviewer for several major surgical publications. Finally, he has lectured on topics relating to general and colorectal surgery at several major medical institutions throughout the nation. He is currently an Endowed Chair in Surgery at an ivy league university medical center.