Anastomotic disruption after large bowel resection

Table 1 Prospective randomized trials comparing the effect of mechanical bowel preparation versus no preparation on anastomotic leaks in elective colorectal surgery (n, %)

Investigators	Number ofpatients	Bowel preparationgroup (leak rate)	No bowel preparation group (leak rate)	P
Miettinen et al[25]	267	4%	2%	0.28
Zmora et al[26]	380	3.7%	2.1%	0.50
Santos et al [27]	149	10%	5%	0.52
Burke et al [28]	186	7.8%	11%	0.90