Kinugasa T, Nagasu S, Murotani K, et al. - Researchers determined surgery-related factors linked with the incidence of anastomotic leakage following low anterior resection (LAR) for lower rectal cancer. Of a total of 630 patients who underwent colorectal surgery in their department, they enrolled 97 patients (15%) undergoing LAR in this retrospective study. Twenty-one patients (21.7%) had occurrence of anastomotic leakage. Factors noted to be significantly associated with anastomotic leakage after LAR for lower rectal cancer were underlying disease, transanal hand-sewn anastomosis, and closed drain. One important finding was that relative to open drain, closed drainage was correlated with the occurrence of anastomotic leakage and was linked with lower volume of postoperative drain discharge.